We wrap up our Tall Pines festival coverage with Friday night co-headliners, Tokyo Police Club – a late addition to the bill, but as a band we had not seen for several years, one we welcomed with open arms. Indeed, we last caught one of their shows during the promotional tour for their 2016 “Melon Collie and the Infinite Radness” album release – so yes, this was long overdue.
With a 45-minute set at their disposal, the band dipped into music from across their catalogue, although Dave Monks (bass/vocals) did state pretty early into their set that we should expect plenty of cuts from their 2018 “TPC album. Joined by regular band mates Josh Hook (guitars/vocals), Graham Wright (guitars/keys/vocals), and Greg Alsop (drums), eleven tracks were performed in rapid succession – with Josh and Graham burning plenty of energy in the process.
Jumping immediately into the “TPC” material, the band commenced with their popular SXM single, “Hercules,” returning shortly after with three album cuts in succession – “New Blues,” “Simple Dude,” and “Pigs.” While this may be the most recent studio offering from Tokyo Police Club, fans were treated to a 10 Year Anniversary Deluxe edition of their “Champ” album across streaming services, prompting the band to share numerous tracks from this one too – notably “Favourite Colour,” “Bambi,” and “End of a Spark,” along with their popular finale piece, “Wait Up (Boots of Danger).”
Ever hopeful for some of the radio-friendly gems from their 2016 album (if you recall, they originally released two EP’s, then consolidated both into a full vinyl offering), one cut did make it to the set list, and Dave was eager to discuss the inclusion of “Hang Your Heart” with the audience. “We’re gonna play a song that’s not quite new, but it’s a new one for us on stage. We haven’t played it live before – we played it last night, but this is the second night we’ve played it,” he declared. “I think you’re gonna like it, because Spotify told us that you liked it. Its algorithm is popular, so okay, check that song out. It’s pretty fine, it’s a fun one, good pick everyone.”
During one of a few silent moments between songs, Dave also shared how great it is to reconnect with the band and perform once more, noting that Josh now lives in the USA, meaning they don’t see each other as frequently. But if there were any signs of rust, they masked them well, performing flawlessly and with the energy we expect of this band. And for those of us that have been following Tokyo Police Club from their early days, hearing “Nature of the Experiment” from their debut “A Lesson in Crime” album proved to be the icing on the cake.
Set List:
- Hercules
- Favourite Colour
- Nature Of The Experiment
- New Blues
- Simple Dude
- Pigs
- Hang Your Heart
- End Of A Spark
- Argentina (Pt: I)
- Bambi
- Wait Up (Boots of Danger)
The British guy that crossed the ocean and crash landed in central Pennsylvania (to quote Greg Keelor, “And I wonder what am I doing here?”). As the youngest of four siblings, exposure to music from a very early age nurtured my passion and appreciation for many musical genres. Continuing to discover some amazingly diverse and talented musicians based in Canada, I gravitate to live music experiences and remain devoted to spreading the word about such a vibrant music scene.
