On February 21st 2024, The Northern Lights tour — featuring Toronto’s BRKN LOVE & Edmonton’s Royal Tusk — made its way to the Capital Ballroom in Victoria. Rock on a Wednesday? You got that right, and I don’t think there’s a better way to celebrate getting over the midway point of the work week. Unfortunately, not many felt this way and the room peaked at just over a hundred avid concert goers. That wasn’t going to stop the bands from providing high-calibre talent to the ballroom, though.
The night began with BRKN LOVE, and what they gave the crowd was nothing short of a masterclass in rock. Every member of the band had a personality; from the bassist feeling the groove of each song to the solos of the guitarist. The lead singer’s voice was great, and his energy was easily felt by the crowd. Their set included songs from the 2022 release, Black Box (which is a stellar album), and the feeling you get from listening to the songs on that album were truly enhanced in this live setting. A true blessing from the eastern side of this country, and if you think it doesn’t get any better, the guitarist was wearing a vintage Shakira t-shirt. Great taste, great band, great shirt: just a whole lot of great.
Royal Tusk closed the night off with their signature rock sound. A powerful set with some incredible riffs, the band played a selection of past songs and some new ones. Their sound follows a tougher brand of rock which has similarities to punk and metal, while still staying true to the rock genre. 2018 saw the release of their last album entitled Tusk II, and to hear new music being played six years since that release was fantastic. Victoria received a real treat with this performance, and I personally hope that I get to see them again real soon.
Two days after their performance, Royal Tusk released their newest album, Altruistic. The album sounds great, and what I liked on this album is exactly what I liked about their live performance. I’m always excited to see a band just prior to the release of their new album. It felt like a listening party, which sounds fancy. If you’re looking for some great rock, I invite you to listen to their new album, but also recommend you check out BRKN LOVE’s discography as well. The world of rock is strong, and these are just two of the many names giving the sound a good reputation.
