When Stone Sour announced the North American tour and their Canadian dates, many fans squealed in delight, not just because of the excitement of having Corey Taylor and his bandmates at the venue near them, but also out of respect for the band’s choices for the opening acts.

L.A. metal band In This Moment lead by Maria Brink, Anaheim’s New Years Day fronted by Ashley Costello, and the Nashville punk darlings The Dead Deads, all female fronted bands, were a fantastic addition to open the night, and could have not shown a better support and respect for women in music in North America.

New Years Day at MTelus. Photo by Laura Collins.

The most anticipated act ahead of the evening’s headliner was most definitely the theatrical In This Moment, who did not disappoint. The band entered on stage to Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin'”, and as the rest of the musicians stayed in the sidelines while front woman Maria Brink stole the show.

Various video installations were projected on the background and Brink would slip in behind the curtains in between each song for outfit changes. River of Fire, Roots, and Sick Like me got the crowd singing, and the surprise cover of the night was a dark version of Phil Collins’ In The Air Tonight.

The band closed their set with an empowering performance of  “Whore”, of which Brink introduced from on top of a ladder dressed in all white, and spoke about the mental abuse she had endured as a young girl.

In This Moment at MTelus. Photo by Laura Collins.

Stone Sour is always bound to put on an explosive show and this show was no exception. The band started with Taipei Person/Allah Tea, Knievel Has Landed and Made of Scars, and within the first three songs got the sparkle showers going in front of the stage and Taylor also pulled out a confetti launcher to cover the crowd with shiny colorful confetti.

Corey Taylor knows how to captivate his audience, and made sure to include band’s older material to the set, as well as tunes from the newest record, Hydrograd. Even the slower tunes like Through Glass didn’t stop the crowd, half of who were clearly long time fans wearing Slipknot shirts.

The band finished the set with Absolute Zero and Fabuless, and Taylor made sure to give a shout out to all the opening bands.

Stone Sour at MTelus. Photo by Laura Collins.

 

In This Moment set list

  1. Intro: Don’t Stop Believin’  (Journey song)
  2. Salvation
  3. Blood
  4. River of Fire
  5. Adrenalize
  6. Roots
  7. Burn
  8. Big Bad Wolf
  9. Serpents
  10. In the Air Tonight  (Phil Collins cover)
  11. The Infection
  12. Sick Like Me
  13. Oh Lord
  14. Whore

 

Stone Sour set list:

  1. Taipei Person / Allah Tea
  2. Knievel Has Landed
  3. Made of Scars
  4. Say You’ll Haunt Me
  5. 30/30-150
  6. Hesitate
  7. Tired
  8. Rose Red Violent Blue (This Song Is Dumb & So Am I)
  9. Do Me a Favor
  10. Song #3
  11. Through Glass
  12. Absolute Zero
  13. Fabuless

 

By Laura Collins.