Post-concert depression is a very real condition: one that can be treated by having multiple events to look forward to. Typically, this works best when your events are evenly spread out, so you can start getting excited for the next one as soon as the band leaves the stage.
This wasn’t the case for me in September, when I attended four concerts — three of which were over the span of four days. It was a great month for live music in Toronto and I’m thankful I got to experience seeing eight artists perform.
Since I’m experiencing quadruple post-concert depression and have music on the brain, here are my September concert highlights and music recommendations:
Sept. 3, 2024: good neighbours
Opener: Ber
Venue: The Axis Club
To kick off my month of concerts, I attended the Good Neighbours show at The Axis Club on the first day of school. What a fun way to celebrate my final year of university!
If you’re on TikTok, you’ve probably heard “Home” by Good Neighbours. They don’t have a very large discography yet, but the British indie-rock duo recently released their first self-titled EP, Good Neighbours, which has been dominating my fall playlist.
While I’m a fan of the duo, I’m an even bigger fan of their opener, Ber. I saw her live in 2023 and was thrilled she was coming back to Toronto for this show. I had the opportunity to chat with her after both shows and she’s just as sweet as her incredible voice.
My song recommendations from each artist:
Good Neighbours:
Ber:
Sept. 22, 2024: griff
Opener: Stephen Dawes
Venue: Danforth Music Hall
The first show of my four-day concert stretch was British singer Griff at the Danforth Music Hall. She performed her debut album Vertigo, which is sure to show up on my Spotify Wrapped.
I’ve been a fan of hers for a few years now and I’m so glad I finally got to see her live. She absolutely exceeded my expectations. My favourite moment of the show was when she came out into the audience to perform a few songs on acoustic guitar and she ended up right in front of me!
I knew a few of Stephen Dawes’ songs prior to the show, but I’ve become a fan after his stellar performance. One of the things I love most about live music is finding new artists as openers, going home to stream their discography and then becoming a fan!
My song recommendations from each artist:
Griff:
- “19th Hour”
- “Tears For Fun”
- “Astronaut” (grab some tissues for this one!)
Stephen Dawes:
Sept. 23, 2024: conan gray
Opener: Maisie Peters
Venue: Budweiser Stage
This was my second time seeing Conan Gray and my fourth time seeing Maisie Peters. I’m a big fan of Gray, and a massive fan of Peters, so seeing both artists in one show was so much fun. It was so cool to see both artists play at the Budweiser Stage, especially when I’ve seen them perform at much smaller Toronto venues.
Gray is such an amazing performer and he’s only gotten better since I first saw him in 2022. His stage setup, lights, and outfit added to the performance, but his live vocals and stage presence truly set him apart as a musician.
Peters has had a huge year, opening for Coldplay, Noah Kahan, and Taylor Swift. I’ve been a fan since I found her music in 2018 and she’s my second-most streamed artist on Spotify (the first being Swift). This was the fourth time I’ve seen her in three years and the first time I wasn’t at the barricade. I was so into her performance that her videographer caught a clip and I ended up on Peter’s Instagram story!
My song recommendations from each artist:
Conan Gray:
Maisie Peters:
Sept. 25, 2024: sabrina carpenter
Opener: Amaarae
Venue: Scotiabank Arena
For the grand finale of my September shows, I attended Sabrina Carpenter’s Short N’ Sweet Tour at Scotiabank Arena.
I had the “Please Please Please” VIP package, which included exclusive VIP merch and early entry to the venue. Unfortunately, Scotiabank Arena is currently under construction, so we were limited to a small section of the venue until it was gradually opened. This was a bit discouraging after waiting in the VIP line for so long.
However we were able to purchase merchandise once we entered the venue, where I picked up the Short n’ Sweet Soccer Jersey while there was no line and all sizes were stocked! Luckily our VIP merch was being shipped to us so we didn’t have to worry about carrying it throughout the night.
This was my second time seeing Sabrina, this time in an arena instead of a theatre. She certainly made use of the bigger stage! The setup was extremely creative, with multiple rooms and levels to simulate a house.
The retro visuals and stunning outfits completed the production. I liked how she used the main stage and B stage to give different views from anywhere in the audience.
The show was outstanding and Sabrina is a phenomenal performer. I had so much fun singing and dancing the night away.
My song recommendations from each artist:
Amaarae:
Sabrina Carpenter: