On May 9th, we hit up The Opera House in Toronto for a stellar night of music featuring San Francisco's Carpool Tunnel, Cleveland's Heart Attack Man, Washington's Origami Angel, and Atlanta's Microwave (who are currently on tour supporting their incredible new album Let's Start Degeneracy).

Regrettably, we missed the opening act, Carpool Tunnel, but from the buzz in the venue, it was clear they had set the stage on fire. As we arrived, the excitement was palpable, with fans already packed into the pit, eagerly awaiting the next band.

Heart Attack Man wasted no time and continued to ramp up energy. Their high-octane set got the crowd pumped, with fans eagerly singing along to their infectious songs. Currently touring in support of their 2023 LP Freak of Nature, the Cleveland-based band left a lasting impression with their electrifying performance that featured heavily saturated lights and a constant wave of crowd surfing.

Next up was Origami Angel; the Washington duo took the stage with a palpable air of determination. Their relentless energy, punctuated by Pat Doherty's manic drumming, was met with frenzied excitement from the crowd. The power that just two musicians could unleash was truly remarkable to witness. Origami Angel was all business as they ripped into their set, only pausing briefly in between songs to say how stoked they were to be in Toronto, giving shout-outs to all the bands on the bill and getting the crowd stoked by saying: 

"We're gonna play some emo music. Then some rock and roll music. Then more emo music". 

The crowd erupted with even more crowd surfing than Heart Attack Man's set, and fans screamed every word of their few remaining songs to finish their set off strong.

Finally, the moment we'd all been waiting for arrived as Atlanta's Microwave graced the stage. The band's drummer, Timothy Pittard, began their set by serenading the audience with “Concertito in G Major,” paired with incense and a keyboard in a bathrobe before shedding it and diving into their set behind his drum kit. With blow-up magical mushrooms flanking the stage, the psychedelic backdrop perfectly complemented lead singer Nathan Hardy's epic vocals. Despite minimal interaction with the crowd, Microwave reminded us of the recent album they released, Let's Start Degeneracy, and delivered a mesmerizing performance with a healthy mix of new and old songs from their discography.

Overall, it was a fantastic night with a diverse lineup that immersed us in each band's culture and creativity. From Heart Attack Man's infectious energy to Origami Angel's powerhouse duo and Microwave's captivating presence, this show was one for the books this year so far.

For those who missed out, dive into our concert photos from Heart Attack Man, Origami Angel, and Microwave's performance at The Opera House below:

CONCERT PHOTOS

MICROWAVE

ORIGAMI ANGEL

HEART ATTACK MAN

MICROWAVE SETLIST

Concertito in G Major
Bored of Being Sad
Drown
Labor Day
Trash Stains
Dull
Huperzine Dreams
Keeping Up
Roaches
Float to the Top
The Brakerman Has Resigned
Mirrors
Ferrari
Let’s Start Degeneracy
Circling the Drain
Stovall
Whimper
Part of It
Vomit

Encore:
Lighterless
But Not Often,

Relive Microwave’s set with the playlist below:

Photography by: Steve St. Jean