There are some shows where you can tell something special is happening before the headliner even walks onto the stage. PRESIDENT’s sold-out show at Toronto’s Danforth Music Hall on September 11 was one of those nights.
It had been almost six months since I was last at the Danforth, so I was looking forward to getting back into the venue. The line outside stretched all the way down toward Broadview before doors opened. Even being on the guest list did not mean skipping the line, which is something I have not had to do in a very long time. But looking around, it was pretty obvious why. This tour sold out quickly, and everyone in line was ready to be part of it.
The original lineup for the tour included Cenobia, the masked Australian project that was set to join PRESIDENT and Showing Teeth on the North American Campaign, but Cenobia withdrew before the tour began, leaving Showing Teeth as the only support act in Toronto. PRESIDENT arrived in Toronto as part of their first North American headlining tour, following their earlier run supporting Bad Omens. For a band that only launched in 2025, walking into a sold-out Danforth Music Hall on their first North American headlining tour was pretty damn impressive.
I made it into the venue by the skin of my teeth, fitting given who was about to take the stage. Showing Teeth ended up starting around 7:45 PM instead of the scheduled 7:30, pushed back to give the venue time to get the long line inside.
PHOTO CREDIT: Sarah Rosin
Showing Teeth
Showing Teeth brought their music to Toronto for the first time, with Addison leading the way through a set that included “Bad Exchanges,” “Disfigured by Fear,” “Shallow Grave,” “Make It Out,” “Paradigm,” “Aspirate,” “Rip,” “Hellraiser” and “Labyrinth.”
Initially launched as Addison’s solo project, Showing Teeth has been around for less than a year, but you wouldn’t have known it from watching them onstage. Addison was joined by Ben Solomon on guitar, Jacob Umansky on bass and Justin Wooman on drums.
The Nashville-based vocalist and songwriter is currently touring with PRESIDENT following the September 4 release of her debut EP, A Fate Worse Than Loneliness.
The crowd surfing started in the middle of her set, and by the time she reached “Hellraiser,” there was plenty of moshing going on.
Near the end of the set, something happened in the crowd that brought everything to a stop. Addison and the band waited while security checked on the situation. Once security gave the thumbs up, Addison told everyone to “be safe” before getting right back into the song.
She also took some time to thank the Toronto crowd for coming in early to see an opening band. She pointed out that the show was sold out and told the audience they should give themselves some credit for supporting new bands and live music.
Showing Teeth also played some unreleased material during the set. Addison told the crowd that they had just released A Fate Worse Than Loneliness and were going to play every song from the EP, along with some songs that fans had not heard yet.
“Aspirate” was one of the unreleased songs they played, and it gave the crowd another taste of what Showing Teeth has coming next.
She finished the set by handing her setlist to a fan at the front.
PRESIDENT
At approximately 8:55 PM, the lights went down and PRESIDENT took the stage.
The first thing that caught my attention was the podium positioned front and centre, complete with an illuminated Patriarchal Cross, also known as the Cross of Lorraine. Behind the drummer was a large illuminated cross, with vertical LED light sticks surrounding the setup.
The lighting changed throughout the performance, with the cross on the podium shifting from pink to white. The same double-barred cross is a major part of PRESIDENT’s visual identity, appearing on their logo as well as their instruments. The guitar and bass both featured the cross, which was illuminated under the stage lighting and looked especially good during the performance.
The President handled the vocals, with Heist on guitar, Protest on bass and Vice behind the drums. The musicians remained masked throughout the performance, continuing the anonymity that has been part of PRESIDENT’s identity from the beginning.
Once the band was in position, the music started.
Fans knew the songs, and they knew them well. They were singing along to entire songs, not just the choruses, though the choruses were when the crowd was loudest. It was the first thing that impressed me about the show.
Songs from both King of Terrors and the newly released Blood of Your Empire filled out the set — “Fearless,” “Dionysus,” “Destroy Me,” “RAGE,” “Angel Wings,” “dark heaven,” “Conclave,” “Mercy,” “DOOM LOOP” and “White Devil” all made an appearance.
Crowd surfing was happening throughout the set, with several people making their way over the crowd at different points during the show.
During “Conclave,” phone lights came out across the room, giving the Danforth a completely different look for the song.
About halfway through the set, PRESIDENT’s vocalist stepped away from the rest of the band and performed next to the drum kit with a backing track. It was a nice change of pace, giving the show a chance to slow down for a moment before the full band came back in.
Once the band was back together, the show moved into its final stretch.
For the final song, PRESIDENT returned to “In the Name of the Father,” the band’s first single. The President stood up and pointed toward the audience.
A wall of death opened up in the crowd.
The show finished shortly after 10:00 PM.
It was actually the shortest concert I can remember attending that I wasn’t late to, though that made sense with Cenobia off the tour and only two bands on the bill. Most shows have at least three bands, and by the time everything is finished, it is usually well past 10:30. This night was different, with a sold-out Danforth crowd heading home shortly after 10.
PHOTO CREDIT: Jonathan Weiner
A Crowd That Came to Sing
What stood out most to me about PRESIDENT’s Toronto show was the audience.
Everyone was singing.
When PRESIDENT came onstage, it seemed like everyone in the room suddenly got taller as people tried to see over the person in front of them. The Danforth can get packed quickly, and on a sold-out night like this, there was no shortage of people trying to get a better view.
But the singing was what really caught my attention.
It wasn’t just one or two songs where the crowd knew the words. Fans were singing along throughout the set.
For a band to walk into a full house and hear that many people singing their songs back at them has to be pretty damn cool.
And it made for a great atmosphere inside the Danforth.
Final Thoughts
This was my first PRESIDENT show, and I came away impressed by how well the band can put a live show together.
For me, the biggest takeaway was the songwriting. PRESIDENT knows how to write hit song after hit song that people want to sing along to, and that was obvious from the moment they took the stage.
Showing Teeth also gave the Toronto crowd a good introduction to her music and made the most of her set, especially with the new A Fate Worse Than Loneliness EP and the unreleased songs she brought along for the tour.
I left the Danforth thinking I would have liked the PRESIDENT set to be a little longer, but what they did put on was a hell of a show.
And for my first PRESIDENT concert, that’s about as good a first impression as it gets.
PRESIDENT’s first-ever North American headlining tour continues across the continent through October 14, when the campaign wraps up in Dallas.
I’m Drew, the founder and editor of Front of the Stage. I have a strong love for music and photography, which started at a very young age. There’s just something I love about experiencing live music and capturing memories that will last a lifetime, and that’s how Front of the Stage came to be.
