Music

Eagles of Death Metal rock The Phoenix

by Melody Lau

If there was one show (on ground level, at least – i.e. if you weren’t at the CN Tower for the Audioblood showcase) at NXNE everyone should’ve been at last night, it would’ve be Eagles of Death Metal at the Phoenix. As one of the handful of kickoff parties on the first night of music festivities, the California rockers started the week off with a bang.

It’s no surprise why lead singer Jesse Hughes is so adored by fans as his personality shines onstage. Immediately putting on the shades, right before ripping into their set of rock-out-with-your-cock-out anthems, Hughes wasted no time blowing kisses at the audience, calling all the ladies in Toronto “foxy” (of which, on behalf of all of them – thanks!) and strutting straight up to the edge of the stage to shred various guitar solos throughout the night.

There is no better way to describe the sheer voltage of rock (and no, I’m not just referring to the noisy mix sound of the venue; the only downfall of the night) than the copious amounts of rock hand gestures thrown in the air as EoDM busted out hits like “Cherry Cola”.

Their brand of electrifying sassy garage rock may not be everyone’s cup of tea but it’s undeniable how much fun everyone evidently has at an Eagles of Death Metal show. Other bands, take note. That was a hell of a way to start things off.