Bilmuri and supporting act John Harvie rolled through Toronto this past Wednesday starting the latest leg of their Summer Slammer tour. A vivacious crowd packed the house at History in anticipation of the raucous acts about to take the stage. John Harvie kicked off with an energy filled set that got the crowd lively and ready for the night that was about to ensue. It was clear to see why these artists decided to team up and head out on tour, both featuring an eclectic style bending and blending genres to their hearts desire. From metal, rock, pop, jazz, country and everything in between. Harvie’s vocals caught the attention of everyone in the room with incredible range and tone, all while giving the crowd a high energy performance that truly got everyone in the venue moving. He noted this was his first time outside his home country and playfully mentioned to the crowd that his first stop for food on his travels was, in fact, at Canada’s own Harvey’s. The crowd roared with approval. Harvie’s set concluded with his most known song, “Bleach (On The Rocks)”, which while cryptic lyrically is quite the opposite musically. The crowd could be seen singing along to the lyrics and moving to the melodies, clearly getting excited for the main event that was about to take the stage.
Bilmuri’s stage set up was minimalistic in nature; some additional lights, a directors chair dawning the words “The Boss”, and a stand out custom drum kit. While it may have been simple, don’t be fooled. The production level of Bilmuri’s performance far surpassed any expectations I may have had. The band sounded stellar from first note to last and was accompanied by lighting that fit the performance perfectly. Bilmuri played through a wide array of hits in their catalogue much to the crowd’s delight. Songs such as, “ALL GAS” and “ABSOLUTELYCRANKINMYMF’INHOG”, sent the crowd straight into an uproar. Elated that the band +they came to see was playing through a variety of their favourite tunes. While Bilmuri’s song titles and general overall demeanour may seem like a joke from the outside looking in, the musical talent within this band is far from. Saxophone, flute, guitar and drum solos were all featured throughout their set, accompanied by vocals from all members of the band with the exception of the drummer. No one missed a beat in their well choreographed performance, playing to the crowd, keeping the energy high and most importantly nailing all the musical aspects throughout their performance. 
Mid-performance I heard a fan exclaim to those around him, “These guys sound even better live than they do on their recordings!”. A true testament to how amazing the performance was for those in attendance. While Bilmuri’s overall ambience may be portrayed as silly, or perhaps even crudely goofy, one cannot ignore good music and talented performers when it is presented to them on a platter. This is simply a group of talented musicians who enjoy playing original music, like to have fun, and don’t like to take themselves too seriously. Something that we could all incorporate into our lives a little bit more often. The current leg of the Summer Slammer tour is taking some time off but will continue its run through the U.S. in late September and will continue through until mid October. Definitely consider checking it out if it is coming to a city near you but if you can’t, you can still check out our exclusive photo gallery just below from the night in Toronto. Finally, make sure to follow Bilmuri on Instagram @BilmuriBand for more content and updates from the group.
Article & Photos By Jono Del Pozo (@jonoxremedy)
