I been waiting a few years to check out the Canadian band called Toque. This band features Todd Kerns on vocals and rhythm guitar (Age of Electric, Slash with Myles Kennedy and the Conspirators and Triumph), Cory Churko on lead guitar (Shania Twain and Kelly Clarkson), Brent Fitz on bass (Vince Neil, Slash with Myles Kennedy and the Conspirators and Triumph) and Shane Gaalaas on drums (B’z, Yngwie Malsmteen and Michael Schenker). Gaalaas wasn’t able to make this show due to his current touring schedule with his other band the B’z. The ultra talented Zach Throne (Alice in Chains and the Bruce Kulick Band) filled in on the bass while Fitz moved behind the kit to fill Gaalaas’ absence. The band has primarily played the Canadian West Coast but did do an odd date in Toronto last year. With Triumph on tour, the band was able to squeeze a show date in between their tour dates in Toronto and Hamilton.
The band opened up with an original song “Never Enough for You” off their 2019 self titled debut. If you never seen the band live, they incorporate a lot of Canadian nostalgia that includes video clips of old TV shows (SCTV, The Littlest Hobo, The Friendly Giant, old hockey clips including Peter Puck, and a lot more). Besides playing some of their own choice cuts, Toque paid homage to their heritage throughout the show by playing various Canadian artists. They did covers from Queen City Kids to Chilliwack to Rush. Before the song “My Girl” from Chilliwack, they showed the entire clip of a young John Candy, Rick Moranis and Eugene Levy doing the song on SCTV in 1982. Which as you can imagine watching that, it drew a lot of laughs. Not only is Kerns a masterful showman, he showed his vocal range on the Sheriff cover “When I’m With You.” He crushed the low and high parts of the song. I was apprehensive about the band doing “Tom Sawyer” Rush, but I must say, the band aced it and Fitz showed his true prowess on the drums by nailing all the fills during the solo. Kerns told the story of how his former band the Age of Electric broke on Much Music by them playing their video “Ugly.” Of course with both Kerns and Churko being Saskatchewan, they had to play a Streetheart song. “What Kind of Love” was the choice and it sounded fantastic! They didn’t leave for an encore instead they decided to end the show by playing April Wine’s “Roller.” The entire band came to the forefront to lead the audience in singing “O’ Canada.”
Having limited time off from Triumph, you would have thought both Kerns and Fitz would have mailed it in. That was not the case what so ever and Toque delivered an amazing performance. It should be noted that Throne did an exceptional job jumping in at the last minute to fill in for Fitz on the bass. With Throne in place, Fitz felt at ease to fill Gaalaas’ spot behind the kit. Toque even did a meet and greet for anyone who wanted to stop by and say hello at their merch table after the show. This band are truly professionals in every sense of the word.
Setlist:
Never Enough for You
The Boys in the Bright White Sports Car (Trooper cover)
Sunglasses at night (Corey Hart cover)
Down Again (Queen City Kids cover)
Innocence (Harlequin cover)
Up to You
Something for the Pain
My Girl (Gone, Gone, Gone) (Chilliwack cover)
Go for a Soda (Kim Mitchell cover)
When I’m With You (Sheriff cover)
New Girl Now (Honeymoon Suite cover)
Tom Sawyer (Rush cover)
Fantasy (Aldo Nova cover)
Armageddon (Prism cover)
On the Loose (Saga cover)
Ugly (Age of Electric cover)
Can’t Stop it
Turn Me Loose (Loverboy cover)
What Kind of Love (Streetheart cover)
Roller (April Wine cover)
O’ Canada (Calixa Lavallée cover)
We would like to thank Erin Stitt form the Fallsview Casino for the credentials to review the show.