TOQUE made their long-awaited Niagara Falls debut on April 23, bringing a full night of Canadian rock classics to the Avalon Theatre at Fallsview Casino Resort. For the band, it was not only their first show in Niagara, but also their first performance of the year — and they made it count.
The timing made the night even more impressive. Singer/guitarist Todd Kerns (Slash, Triumph, Myles Kennedy, The Age of Electric, Static In Stereo) and drummer Brent Fitz (Slash, Triumph, Myles Kennedy, Alice Cooper, Vince Neil, Gene Simmons, Econoline Crush) are currently on the road with Triumph for the band’s 50th anniversary tour, but with a night off, they traded the massive Triumph stage for a packed celebration of Canadian music with TOQUE. Joined by Cory Churko on guitar (Shania Twain, Kelly Clarkson, Don Felder) and Zach Throne on bass (Jerry Cantrell, Corey Taylor, Pearl Aday, Bruce Kulick, Ace Frehley), they delivered a high-energy set that felt less like a side project and more like a love letter to the songs that helped shape Canadian rock.
From the opening moments of “Never Enough For You,” (an original song off their 2019 album Never Enough) TOQUE wasted no time setting the tone. Their original material fit comfortably alongside the Canadian classics, proving the band is more than just a nostalgia act. Songs like “Up To You” and “Can’t Stop It” showed off their own identity, while the rest of the night gave fans a chance to sing along to some of the most recognizable songs in Canadian music history.
Adding to the nostalgic feel of the evening, videos played throughout the show on a large screen behind the band. The visuals included clips from Canadian favourites such as SCTV, Hockey Night In Canada, and The Hilarious House of Frightenstein, giving the night an added sense of Canadiana that went beyond the music itself.
The setlist was stacked with Canadian rock favourites, including Trooper’s “The Boys in the Bright White Sports Car,” Corey Hart’s “Sunglasses at Night,” Chilliwack’s “My Girl (Gone, Gone, Gone),” Sheriff’s “When I’m With You,” Kim Mitchell’s “Go for Soda,” Honeymoon Suite’s “New Girl Now,” Rush’s “Tom Sawyer,” Aldo Nova’s “Fantasy,” Prism’s “Armageddon,” Saga’s “On the Loose,” Loverboy’s “Turn Me Loose” and “Working for the Weekend,” and April Wine’s “Roller.”
One of the most memorable moments of the night came during Kerns’ tribute to the late Kenny Shields, the legendary singer of Streetheart, who passed away in 2017. Kerns shared that he grew up about 15 minutes from where Shields lived in Saskatchewan and that Shields had inspired him to become a musician. TOQUE then performed “What Kind of Love Is This,” and partway through the song, video footage of Kenny Shields and Streetheart was seamlessly integrated on the screen behind the band. Seeing Shields perform in the background while TOQUE played live in the foreground made for a powerful and heartfelt tribute.
As a longtime fan of Kerns and his various music projects over the years, another highlight, for me, was the inclusion of “Ugly” by The Age of Electric off the 1993 Ugly EP. The band, formed in 1989 in Kerns’ hometown of Lanigan, Saskatchewan, featured Todd Kerns, his brother John Kerns, and brothers Ryan and Kurt Dahle. For many Canadian rock fans, The Age of Electric was their first introduction to Todd Kerns in Canadian music. The band later reunited in 2017 for a handful of shows, including a performance in nearby St. Catharines at the now-defunct L3 Nightclub on April 10.
What made the show work so well was the band’s balance of respect and personality. TOQUE did not simply copy the songs note for note; they attacked them with the kind of enthusiasm that comes from musicians who clearly grew up loving this material. Kerns brought plenty of charisma to the front of the stage, while Fitz kept the show moving with the precision and punch that has made him one of Canada’s most reliable rock drummers. Churko and Throne rounded out the sound with strong musicianship that gave the songs the power and polish they deserved.
The Avalon Theatre proved to be a strong fit for the show. The room gave the performance an intimate feel while still allowing the songs to sound big, especially during heavier moments like “Tom Sawyer,” “Fantasy,” and “Armageddon.” Instead of walking off the stage and coming back on for an encore, TOQUE just finished off the night with “Working for the Weekend” and “Roller.” The crowd was fully locked in, turning the final stretch into a celebration rather than just another concert.
After nearly two hours, the night ended in the most Canadian way possible, with all members of TOQUE coming to the front of the stage and leading the audience in a sing-along to “O Canada.” It was a fitting close to a night built around Canadian music, memories and pride.
TOQUE’s April 23 performance was fun, loud, heartfelt and proudly Canadian. With Kerns and Fitz squeezing the show in during a night off from Triumph’s 50th anniversary tour, the concert felt like a rare bonus for Niagara music fans. As first impressions go, TOQUE’s Niagara Falls debut was a strong one — and hopefully not their last.
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All photos by Joel Naphin
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