Tokyo Police Club returned to Victoria on October 4, this time playing the Alix Goolden Hall, a former church with a spectacular vaulted ceiling and lovely stained glass windows. The Elwins took the stage first, warming the crowd up with an electrifying performance that included their single “So Down Low” as well as some lesser-known, but delightful, songs. The band was fantastic; I’d be surprised if they didn’t gain some new fans in Victoria.
Born Ruffians played next and continued to deliver, rocking the building with some seriously rad tunes and making the crowd jump up and down in excitement.
As the lights came on and the smoke cleared, the stage crew began preparing for the main event. The crowd directly in front of the stage was quite large for the venue, packed with people of all ages eagerly waiting the last band of the night. After a brisk 20-minute break, the lights dimmed and the members of Tokyo Police Club arrived on stage to a barrage of clapping and screaming fans. From the mezzanine on the second floor of the venue, the view of the band was clear and perfect.
They began with their single “Not My Girl,” which certainly lit the place up right off the bat. Next they followed up with “Hot Tonight,” and it was indeed very hot that night; as the people below us shuffled on the dance floor, the temperature in the venue seemed to rise a few degrees.
The band was off to an excellent start; after these two popular songs, they moved on to fan favourites such as “Favourite Colour” and “Bambi.” The crowd must have been pleased because at this point quite a few people were singing along with the band. The smoke machines and light systems were on point, which, combined with the incredible performances on stage, really gave the venue a wonderful atmosphere. It was a very fun and exciting show, and I’d be more than happy to see any of the three bands perform again live.