Gladie’s Future Spring Tour Brings Warmth and Hope to Toronto
BY KATIE ASHDOWN
Gladie
Photo Credit: Katie Ashdown
On Saturday May 2, Gladie brought their “Future Spring” tour to Toronto. Attendees at The Baby G were treated to a much-needed respite from the bitter cold, seemingly never-ending winter we’ve had in Toronto, as Gladie’s music brought a palpable sense of hope and connection to the room.
Locals Kicksie opened up the show, warming up the crowd with their groovy indie-pop songs. Their catchy songwriting, paired with maximalist vocal effects made for a really fun sound that filled the room. They had the crowd from the beginning right to the end of their set.
Noun took the stage next, bringing a totally different vibe to the night. There was an intensity in their set, both visually and sonically, that had the whole room completely engaged. A drum with cymbals was placed at the front of the stage with a bright work light shining through the drum from the ground up, casting stark light and shadows on the band as they played through the beginning of their set. They started with a long minimal intro, building into a huge payoff as the band launched into the rest of their set. Marissa Paternoster’s powerful, distinct vocals stood out through the set. The crowd was captivated the entire time, with chatter of people discussing how blown away they were even as Noun left the stage.
Soon after, headlining band Gladie walked out to “Believe” by Cher. Frontwoman Augusta Koch commented on what a great song it is to cheers of agreement from the audience. The band launched into their set with “Push Me Down,” the first track on their new album No Need To Be Lonely. The song began with minimal guitar and Koch’s distinct raspy voice, which sounded incredible live. The rest of the band came in with energetic, upbeat guitars and drums as Koch sings “I reach out my hand / They pull me up / You push me under.”
One of the highlights of the set was their performance of “Brace Yourself,” where Koch sings about the regrets and tough feelings that come out when someone close to you is ill. In the chorus, the band came in louder as she repeats “I won’t hold back a compliment / I’ll be careful with how my time is spent,” bringing a sense of hope and the desire to live more thoughtfully. Koch sang this line with so much emotion and conviction in her voice it genuinely brought tears to my eyes.
Gladie
Photo Credit: Katie Ashdown
Between songs, Koch mentions how it can be difficult to be alive right now with the state the world is in and with people actively making it worse, but she expresses the importance of things like food, friends, and music to make living easier. Her words totally rang true, especially on their performance of “Future Spring.” The song’s energetic, fuzzy instrumentals underpin lyrics about how these external forces in the world can take a toll on us, before the band sang a hopeful refrain of “Hey, you’re invited and we’re glad you’re here.
One of the major themes across No Need To Be Lonely is the healing power of connection and relationships. This idea came through in so many special little ways throughout this show. Gladie sounds incredible playing together, but it’s also just a joy to watch them play live. Everyone in the band clearly has so much love for the music and each other. Bassist Evan Demianczyk’s energy was contagious, doing star jumps throughout different parts of the set. It was so nice to see laughs and smiles shared around the band during their set, and members of Noun passionately singing along to every word from the crowd. Koch even thanked the members of her previous band, Cayetana, for traveling out to see the show and mentioned that she had never played music before meeting them.
The crowd matched the band's positive energy, giving so much warmth and enthusiasm through the night. Toronto crowds can generally be a bit quiet and awkward, usually taking some time to warm up. That was not the case on Saturday. Everyone was so into it right from the beginning of the set, people were singing along and cheering so loudly that the band actually seemed surprised. Koch expressed appreciation for the crowd, explaining how nice it is to play music for a room full of real people, especially compared to the detachment that comes with releasing music online.
No Need To Be Lonely came out near the end of March and I’ve been spinning it almost constantly to get through this winter that feels like it’ll never end. The warm melodies paired with Koch’s talent for writing lines that feel like they’ve been taken straight from your own brain make this album the perfect salve for getting through a depressing season. Gladie’s live show offers this same healing energy that seemed to make everyone in the room leave the show feeling more hopeful than before.
K E E P U P W I T H
