Travel For Tunes: Live Music In Toronto Canada

For any of you who have been following Funk Punk Lives since its beginnings, you’ll know I am a massive fan of Chevelle, an alternative metal band out of Illinois. Active for almost as long as I’ve been alive, I wrote about them during the pandemic when they released “NIRATAS,” and with their latest album “Bright As Blasphemy,” they’ve proven once again that great music only gets better as time goes on. What started as a simple workout playlist for me years ago eventually turned into a body of art that has made such a deep, positive impact on my life. So, as my boyfriend and I planned a trip to Toronto, Canada to see one of his favorite bands, I was giddy as a high school kid to discover Chevelle was playing there as well… during the exact same week.

Overcoming Travel Barriers: A Music Fan’s Journey To Toronto

Now, Canada may be the farthest from the U.S. border that I’ll ever get. Despite having lifelong dreams of traveling the world, exploring new places is expensive. There is airfare, food, and lodging to pay for, as well as gas, much less having any wiggle room for buying concert merch or souvenirs. It seems that what was easy for older generations feels reserved for the elite and wealthy now. So, I went into this journey fully expecting to take advantage of every moment I could, even while operating under financial limitations. Sometimes, you just have to accept your station in life, and mine has never been particularly compatible with wanderlust. Because of that, I was already living out a dream I never thought I’d accomplish again since traveling overseas once at 19: crossing out of the U.S. again, in any way, to anywhere.

Furthermore, it’s no secret to my long-time readers that I used to hang out with a very different crowd than I do today. I am a former Burner who used to be surrounded by folks who spent their summers at West Coast music festivals, constantly encircled by multi-talented people who could dance effortlessly with flow toys. For those of you who don’t know, flow toys are props you can swing, swirl, and spin to music – and they look incredibly cool once you practice and refine your skills. Some common props include hula hoops, poi, buugeng, dragon staffs, and flow stars. I always admired the sheer motivation and dedication required to learn these complex movements, but I’d never found one that truly stuck for me. I’ve lived in survival mode for so long that taking the extra time and mental energy to figure out trick variations and hand coordination wasn’t something I had the capacity to do. I used to carry a lot of FOMO over that.

Merging Subcultures: Bringing Flow Arts Into The Metal Scene

Now that I’m living in Buffalo and have embarked on a healing journey toward a more stable life, the mental bandwidth I needed for creative hobbies is suddenly at my disposal. Ever since learning Chevelle would be nearby, I’ve been daydreaming about what kind of flow prop I could practice to place my own unique flair on a piece of my past I thought I’d lost forever. I’ve seen quite a few "alt," "goth," or "metal" belly dancers online over the years, alongside plenty of other performers crossing elements I thought only fit in one particular box, over into completely different musical genres. After a lifetime of people telling me my music taste was "too much," "too aggressive," or "too dark" – or no one having knowledge of the bands I loved – I got inspired to do the same.

I bought myself a pair of black silk fans.

I went down an endless rabbit hole (pun intended for you fellow Chevelle fans reading) of online video tutorials and convinced myself the foundational moves looked simple enough without compromising how impressive they appeared. Plus, the fluid maneuvers felt very similar to the swaying style of dancing I usually do at darkwave or “goth” events.

Thus, the wild plan to flow at a heavy rock show was born. This idea came to light even before I found out the band would be performing so close to Western New York. So, when I saw they would be playing the exact day before our other scheduled event, it felt as though the stars had aligned. I practiced every single night solid for a week. I just kept hoping I wouldn’t be too nervous to whip them out in front of a crowd, especially in a day and age where the fear of being recorded, posted online, and mocked on social media without consent is at an all-time high.

Live At RBC Amphitheatre: Turning Dreams Into Reality With Music In Toronto

We drove two hours across the border to a cozy stay at the Toronto Don Valley Hotel & Suites, consumed some much-needed pre-concert fuel at Chiang Mai in York Mills, and made our way over to RBC Amphitheatre. We had "lawn" tickets, which were really just standing room only on a grassy incline. Situated on a hill overlooking the stadium, we were graced with a breathtaking sunset, a military plane flyover to the event center next door, and a killer opening set by Starset.

Lucky for me, we found a quiet spot right by a tree near the fence line that no one else wanted to stand near, primarily because a structure partially blocked the direct view of the stage. Taking my opportunity to secure some much-needed elbow room to flow, we grabbed a couple of drinks and posted up right there.

As the night wore on and I finally mustered up the courage to whip out my silk fans, the Chevelle performance turned out to be nothing short of a dream come true. Pete Loeffler’s lead vocals were impeccable, almost untouched by the passage of time. For an artist who has been writing and performing live music since 1995, I was beyond impressed by how pure his voice still sounds – just as strong as ever. I’ve always said that if a band sounds just as incredible live as they do on their studio records, you know you’ve found truly remarkable musicians. They played one of my absolute favorite tracks, ‘Self Destructor,’ as their second song of the night, and in my usual sensitive fashion, I instantly cried. It’s one thing to see the bands you hold so close to your chest, but it’s another experience entirely when they grace you with your most cherished pieces.

Embracing The Authentic Self: Confidence To Stand Out

Every time I go out to see live music that’s dear to me, there’s always something oddly coincidental that happens. Since this was my personal debut trying my hand at public flow arts, I was carrying a heavy weight of anxiety about being perceived. What if someone mocked me? What if I pissed someone off in the crowd? What if everybody judged me? In fact, there was a small group of people who immediately stormed away the second I began swinging my props, even though I was nowhere close to touching anybody. I almost didn't open them up a second time.

Then, Chevelle started playing the exact songs I had practiced to almost every single day the week prior. Songs I had deliberately picked so I could get comfortable flowing to them – classic tracks from their older discography.

“Let’s see if you recognize this one,” Loeffler called out to the arena, much to the roar of the crowd.

And they played every single one. Every single song I had prepared for. From ‘Forfeit,’ to ‘Vitamin R,’ to ‘The Red.’ It was uncanny, and it felt like a direct push from the Universe that I was doing the right thing, at the right time.

I’ve been engaging with my passions alone for so long, mostly because I never quite fit into any specific group I tried to belong to. Even among this specific concert audience, I was the only person who brought flow props with me. Besides not being allowed to bring larger props into the arena, I was the only one taking a traditionally "granola" hobby and using it to express my own darker, metallic taste. Yet somehow, the fear completely evaporated. It didn’t matter to me anymore that I was the only one doing it, or that onlookers might look down on me.

For the first time, I stepped fully into my confidence and stopped giving a shit about what people around me might think. For the first time in my life, I put my heart and art on display for anyone it might resonate with, completely unconcerned with whether anybody received it or not. Even if I dropped the props here and there, and even when I made mistakes.

This time, this was entirely for me. And if that setlist meant anything at all, it was a loud confirmation that everything I had imagined not only could happen, but that I could have fun doing it – even if no one joined me. Even if no one else liked it but me. Even if I fell flat on my ass and made a complete fool out of myself.

That’s pretty big for me.

As the show concluded and the lights came up, I felt another swell of tears bubbling up in my eyes, hit with the overwhelming realization that I had just lived out something I thought would permanently remain a fantasy. I did it, and it felt so perfect – a hundred times better than anything I could have ever conceived in my mind.

To anyone reading who has daydreamed about things and wished on stars and fixated on something that seemed impossible or you’re too scared of judgment to go for it: I’m encouraging you to take a chance. Because of all the negative things that could have stopped me from dancing that day, the one that was much more scary was: “what will happen if you don’t try it? What if… you do just fine?”

I’m so glad I’m finally in a mindset where, the thought of not chasing my interests with the risk of never enjoying them, outweighs the fear of not fitting in.

It’s an experience I will carry with me, not only into the next shows where I find the room to flow, but for the rest of my life.

To listen to Chevelle, visit their Spotify profile here.

Enjoy these short video recaps of the trip and of my flow sessions at the concert!

Video by Sam Ray-Johnson.

Video by Jeffrey Masters.