If the blazing temperatures at Downsview Park weren’t enough to convince Torontonians that all hell had broken loose, then the scream of electric guitars and thundering drum kits might have. In its first ever Heavy TO, Toronto played host to some of the greatest legends in metal music history, as well as some very impressive up and comers.
Saturday July 23rd, saw performances from Endast, DevilDriver, Diamond Head, Underoath, Times Of Grace, As I Lay Dying, Children Of Bodom, Anthrax, Opeth, Motorhead, and last but not least, Megadeth. Unfortunately, it was announced just prior to The Sword’s scheduled set time that the band had been denied access into Canada, and was a let down for many. Photos of only a few of Saturday’s acts can be seen in this article’s slideshow due to a lens malfunction early on in the day, but visit fellow Examiner Tom Pandi’s page to see his outstanding coverage right from the thick of it all.
Day 2 welcomed back many of the previous day’s metal maniacs as well as a fresh crop of new ones. With another assembly of outstanding bands ready to play, and mercifully less humidity, the music got underway with Dead And Divine, followed by Exodus, Death Angel, Volbeat, Melissa Auf Der Maur, Anvil, Baptized In Blood, Testament, Mastodon, Slayer, Billy Talent, and Rob Zombie to end things.
The highlight of the festival by leaps and bounds was Slayer, who performed one of the most engrossing shows I’ve seen in recent memory and from the get-go, had fans catapulting within a swirling mosh pit up front. Notable mentions also go to Baptized In Blood, Testament and the mega-heavy and ever dependable Mastodon.
One of the downsides of the day was Volbeat’s abbreviated set. Their numbers already lessened by lead guitarist Thomas Brendahl’s Visa denial, the band had to finish early due to equipment failure that caused havoc with feedback whenever the band stepped near the front of the stage. Furthermore, Billy Talent’s slot between Slayer and Rob Zombie had many hardcore metal fans foaming at the mouth and hoisting hand-made signs declaring death to the band. Despite being pelted by hurled water bottles and insults during their set, the local rockers showed great poise and a first-class sense of humour by reading the signs aloud and acknowledging the fact they didn’t consider themselves a metal band, but had a great amount of respect for the bands that were.
The true visual spectacle of the festival was reserved for the grand-finale performance of Rob Zombie. The stage was awash in flames, skeletal microphone stands, a huge metal suit of armour, multi-coloured strobes, LCD monitors and of course, the elaborate stage costumes of the band. It was a great ending to the festival and an outstanding start to what will hopefully become a repeat annual event in Toronto.
Visit Heavy TO's website to see streaming video feeds of some of the best performances!
For more music news, photos reviews and trivia, please visit Play It Louder Toronto.
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