Laika, Cory Wells, Selfish Things and William Ryan Key
Sneaky Dee’s // Toronto, ON // March 5th, 2019
Photos and review by Magda Knyszynski
Laika
On Tuesday night, Sneaky Dee’s, a small venue located in the heart of west Toronto was busier than usual. Rather than the quiet restaurant that usually operates during the weekdays, a crowd formed outside the location. As doors opened, the line up was buzzing with anticipation for an evening of flawless performances. Once inside, the intimate atmosphere of the venue made each show personal, a unique shared moment between the artist and the fans.
The first act to grace the small stage was Laika. Being a fresh artist in Toronto, she announced that this performance was her first in front of a live audience. Rather than being deterred by the sheer knowledge of performing for the first time, Laika took it in stride, performing her new single ‘Earl Grey’ to the enjoyment of the crowd. While most of the audience was not familiar with her music, they showed their appreciation through claps and cheers.
Cory Wells
Coming out on stage and pronouncing that the Toronto date of tour was his first Canadian show to date, Cory Wells had the utmost appreciation to everyone who came out. Preforming emotionally motivated, acoustic songs, he ensnared the crowd with his vocals. As a recent signing to Pure Noise Records, many in the crowd were familiar with his music, singing along and cheering in awe at the long held notes he belted out.
Selfish Things
Hailing from Mississauga, Ontario, Selfish Things came out to a roaring crowd, starting the show with a bang. The band, consisting of Alex Biro, Cam Snooks , Michael Ticar, and Jordan Trask, effortlessly kept the spirits high in the hot, small venue. Partway through the set, Biro talked about the similarities in the music industry, where songs are created with extreme similarity to sell to mass audiences. However, Selfish Things is far from that sameness that Biro discussed. Creating an exceptional atmosphere with their music at a show, the band proved that they do not need to conform to modern standards of music. Executing flawless renditions of songs ‘Good Morning, Miss America’ and ‘Hangman’, Selfish Things brought the show to a halt, with everyone in the crowd bringing out their phones to record a snippet of a song from the heavily anticipated new album.
William Ryan Key
Ending off the night, headliner William Ryan Key came out to a room full of fans that undoubtedly remember him from his Yellowcard days. Being his first ever solo tour, he did a fantastic job of keeping the crowds spirits high and having them sing along. Many dedicated fans had placed themselves front and center to sing back the words, a bonus of an intimate venue. After playing a variety of new songs such as ‘The Bowery’ and ‘Vultures’, he decided to remember his roots by performing Yellowcard covers of songs that had rarely been played live. Nearing the end of his set, he performed a stripped version of ‘Ocean Avenue’ to the delight of the crowd.
