GLASS ANIMALS IN TORONTO
BY ARLIN“Human Musical Group Sensations” Glass Animals took us on a trip through the solar system and beyond. Performing songs from their new album I Love You So F***ing Much for their Tour of Earth tour, along with cult classics such as “Tokyo Drifting” and “Heat Waves” and many other fan favourites, Glass Animals put on a hypnotically mesmerizing rave-concert that you've just got to see for yourself.
Just before 8pm, Kevin Abstract took to the stage…and the pit…and levels 100-300 of Budweiser stage. Running through the crowd throughout his set, interacting with fans and even inviting some on stage to dance with him made his set a very memorable one, and a great way to get the crowd’s energy up for the night ahead (though I must say that photographing him, or rather attempting to was like playing a game of eye-spy as he weaved in and out of the crowd from one side of the venue to the other, it was hilariously unexpected and great fun.)
I Love You So F***ing Much also referred to asILYSFM is Glass Animals’ third studio album. Like many others, I was first introduced to their music a few years ago by their song “Heat Waves” which has garnered over 3 billion streams to date.
Once the floor-to-ceiling ILYSFM curtain falls, the stage is revealed to be a larger than life spaceship, brought to life by trippy visuals, and fantastic neon lights that I absolutely could not get enough of. At times I found myself watching just the visuals, so curious as to what would come next. I’ve never been to a rave, but I’d like to think their light show would undoubtedly make any raver jealous. The energy of the whole band, particularly frontman Dave Bayley, was nothing short of infectious.
During their song “Lost in the Ocean”, a fan project erupted throughout the venue, hundreds of fans placing pink, blue, and yellow pieces of paper over their phone flashlights to reveal a sea of colour that amused Bayley. “You guys have been up to no good huh, what’s this?” he said between smiles. The coordination of fan projects, especially in venues as large as Budweiser Stage are always such worthwhile labours of love. Bayley expressed his gratitude and amazement at the project multiple times as he looked out into what he had earlier said might be the “biggest crowd of the tour yet!”
For their song “Gooey”, Bayley made his way all the way to the lawn to give fans at the back of the venue an extra special performance. His live vocals are just as great and groovy as the studio recordings, and the band’s high energy performance gives the songs we know and love a funky new feel. As to avoid any later-in-the-show spoilers, I won’t get too specific, but If you’re in the pit, you may or may not become the lucky recipient of a fresh pineapple.
The entire set was just over an hour and a half, which meant they could fit in a substantial amount of songs from each of their albums. Being such a feel good, exciting show, this is one of those concerts that even if you aren’t incredibly familiar with their music yet, I would absolutely recommend attending.
Glass Animals will be continuing the North American leg of their tour into late October, be sure to pick up some tickets at glassanimals.com
