GALLERY: The Wonder Years
TORONTO, ON | MARCH 20, 2023 | BY FABIANA MOREIRA
The evening was full of smiles as The Wonder Years took the stage at History in Toronto, filling up the entire venue this past Monday, March the 20th.
Frontman Dan “Soupy” Campbell kept the energy going throughout and had the audience captivated with his stage banter, making everyone feel as if they were having a conversation with a good friend. Campbell’s lyrics alone are a major draw for their fans, touching on his own experiences with anxiety, loss, and the tribulations of growing older.
The impressive 21-song setlist steered more towards their later catalogue and included many tracks from their latest release, “The Hum Goes On Forever”, of which the tour is in support of. Although their newer material features a more heavy and mature approach, the incredibly catchy melodies remain in both the vocal delivery and memorable guitar riffs that are signature to the band’s foundation.
Fans chanted along and jumped on cue to the soaring choruses, and some upped the ante by crowd-surfing their way to the very front. In particular, during favourites such as “Local Man Ruins Everything” and “Melrose Diner”, the sheer eruption of voices screaming back each line was cathartic to experience. The band also expressed their love for Toronto and reminisced upon their previous visits, noting that this was the largest room to date that they had headlined in the city.
If you are looking for sonically pleasing songs with a bit more substance, you should definitely give The Wonder Years a solid listen, and especially would recommend checking out one of their shows once they make a stop near you.
