CJAY92 presemts: Halloween Howler 2023 Featuring Billy Talent, Gob & The Congregation

Age: 18+

Tickets

Cost: $102.59
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BILLY TALENT
Canadian punk quartet Billy Talent spent the latter part of the 1990s building a hard-won grassroots following before breaking out into mainstream success in 2003 when their Juno Award-winning debut album Billy Talent went quadruple-platinum, sending them on an upward trajectory for much of the decade. As they began to incorporate new elements into their music, their fans followed, helping to lift each of their subsequent studio albums — including the multi-platinum Billy Talent II and III — to the top of the Canadian Albums chart. By the time of 2016’s Afraid of Heights, Billy Talent had become a highly decorated rock act with an international fan base and years of hard touring to their credit. After a six-year gap, they returned with their sixth set, 2022’s Crisis of Faith, which landed three consecutive #1 songs at Canadian Rock Radio, leading to two Juno Nominations.

GOB
You wouldn’t be too hard pressed to come up with a lengthy list of bands to have popped up over the last two decades that borrow from seminal Canadian pop-punk outfit Gob. Coming up with a list of bands that Gob borrows from, on the other hand, is a much tougher task – especially after getting a taste of their latest full-length release, Apt 13. Over the course of their career, which dates back to 1993 and includes a catalog of seven LPs, the members of Gob – Tom Thacker (vocalist/guitarist), Theo Goutzinakis (vocalist guitarist), Gabe Mantle (drummer), and Steven Fairweather (bassist) – have established themselves as Canadian pop punk pioneers. They’ve amassed JUNO nominations, made massively popular music videos for singles like “I Hear You Calling” and “Give Up The Grudge,” and kept legions of loyal fans packed into pits in front of the stage at countless venues – from dive bars to major festival stages the world over.
Ripe with Gob’s now-signature energetic, guitar-driven take on punk rock, Apt 13 finds the band picking up right where they left off with 2007’s Muertos Vivos; however, the new offering leans less towards the straight-up pop influence of earlier albums and instead puts focus on a fuller, more layered rock sound that includes sonic elements of decades past. The result is a product with a depth that begs for repeat spins while keeping it as catchy and anthemic as anything they’ve put out before. Indeed, the Gobness is strong with this one. Tracks like “Can’t Get Over You” and “Radio Hell” sound big and upbeat, loaded with thick, full guitars anchored by throwback punk rhythms, driving, pulsating piano licks, and backing vocals that borrow as much from The Beach Boys as they do influential ‘70s punk acts. At their very heart are the hooky choruses with huge vocal harmonies that will have longtime listeners feeling right at home. Conversely, tracks like “Tonight” bring even more vintage influence to the table, with parts that trace back to early R&B while keeping the band’s overall sonic attitude intact.

THE CONGREGATION
The Congregation is a rock and roll tent revival – the preacher man leads the way to musical salvation. It is the brainchild of Clayton Bellamy, a multi award-winning singer/songwriter whose numourous projects have sold over half a million copies worldwide. Co-produced by multi-award winner Dan Davidson and HMA winner Dan Weller (Shikari, Sikth) and mixed by Grammy Award winner Adrian Bushby (Foo Fighters, Muse), this is a sermon unlike any you’ve heard before.
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