Mammoth Concert Review: Wolfgang Van Halen and The End Tour Hit Toronto’s Danforth Music Hall

It was a sunny Sunday afternoon drive into Toronto, something that felt especially welcome after the long stretch of snow and winter weather we’ve had. By the time I arrived at Danforth Music Hall shortly after the doors opened at 6 p.m., the line outside was already long, wrapping down the street with fans waiting to get in.

The night featured a three-band lineup with James and the Cold Gun opening the show at 7 p.m. The alternative rock group from Cardiff, Wales — formed by James Joseph and James Biss — wasted no time getting the crowd moving. Their set included “Split Second,” “Twist The Knife,” “Fragile,” and “Cut the Brakes,” but it was “Guessing Games” that really connected with the room. You could see people shaking their hips and nodding along as the groove settled in.

The band mentioned it was only their second time performing in Canada, having just played Ottawa the night before, and Toronto gave them a warm welcome.

At 7:45 p.m. 10 Years took the stage. The Knoxville, Tennessee band — led by vocalist Jesse Hasek alongside guitarists Brian Vodinh and Matt Wantland — were joined by touring musicians Chad Grennor on bass and Brian Medeiros on drums. Their set moved easily between heavier moments and more melodic passages with songs like “Fix Me,” “Novacaine,” “Half Life,” and “Wasteland.” One moment that stood out came when the band slipped into a cover of Heart-Shaped Box by Nirvana. Before playing it, they joked with the crowd that it was a “new song they wrote,” drawing laughs before the unmistakable riff kicked in.

At 8:50 p.m., about five minutes after their scheduled start time, the lights dropped and Mammoth walked onto the stage. The band opened with “One of a Kind,” immediately locking into the heavy groove that has defined the project since it began.

Across the front of the stage were five microphone stands. The center mic and the ones on stage left and right were set up for Wolfgang Van Halen, allowing him to move across the stage while playing guitar, while another was positioned near the keyboard setup toward the back.

The set moved quickly through songs like “Another Celebration at the End of the World,” “The Spell,” “Optimist,” and “Stone,” which opened with a dark keyboard intro inspired by Nine Inch Nails before kicking into its heavier groove.

Behind the band, a large screen ran animated visuals throughout the night. At one point Wolfgang took a moment to mention that every piece of artwork on the screen was created by real artists. He made it clear he preferred that approach over generative AI, getting a strong reaction from the crowd.

Smoke drifted from the backline while the band shifted between thick guitar riffs and the more melodic side of their sound. Wolfgang also stepped back to the keyboard during parts of the set, showing another side of his musicianship.

Midway through the show he asked the audience how many people had seen Mammoth before and how many were seeing them for the first time. The response was almost evenly split, something that seemed to genuinely surprise him. “Thanks for sacrificing your Sunday night for us,” he told the crowd.

One of the most emotional moments of the night came during “Distance.” As the song began, the visuals on the screen changed from animation to home-movie footage showing Wolfgang growing up with his father, legendary guitarist Eddie Van Halen. Clips from childhood, rehearsals, and touring years played behind the band while the song unfolded. When it ended, the applause filled the room.

The tour is in support of Mammoth’s third album, The End, released in October 2025. As with the band’s previous records, Wolfgang wrote and recorded every instrument on the album himself. The Toronto set featured several songs from the record including “One of a Kind,” “The Spell,” “Happy,” “Something New,” “I Really Wanna,” and the title track.

Another highlight came when Wolfgang introduced “Resolve,” mentioning it hadn’t been played live since the band’s first tour in 2021 and had been added back into the set after fans kept asking to hear it again.

Late in the show the band played “Take a Bow,” which began with a brief intro from Right in Two by Tool, before moving into the main riff of the song.

After a quick break, Mammoth returned for the encore with “Don’t Back Down.” The night closed with “The End,” a fitting final moment as fireworks visuals filled the screen behind the band.

For everyone packed inside Danforth Music Hall, it felt like the perfect way to end the night — and a reminder that Mammoth continues to grow with each album and tour.

It was simply a remarkable show — pure rock and roll in support of the band’s latest album, The End.

Mammoth

10 Years

James And The Cold Gun

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Drew Osborne

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.