Review: The Beaches at Danforth Music Hall in Toronto, February 28, 2020

Tonight I realized that The Beaches are my favorite band. There was a moment. And that’s what this review (if you want to call it that, because I can promise you it will not be impartial) is going to be about: moments. Including the moment I realized The Beaches are my favorite band.

Moment #1: Ky ❤️ Le

Since the first time I saw them, I’ve loved seeing the moments that show the love these ladies have for each other. This time it was during keyboardist/guitarist Leandra Earl’s star turn during “Kinkaid.” She got to take over lead singing duties, and the proud smile on guitarist Kylie Miller’s face while her BFF strutted the stage was priceless.

Moment #2: Beastmode Eliza

This is something I noticed from beat one of the show: drummer Eliza Enman-McDaniel is hitting those skins harder then ever and I love it. Am I imagining this? I haven’t seen them since May 2018 at The Opera House, so a lot can change in almost two years. And while I’m at it, the way she switches up the beat in “Turn Me On” never fails to bring me joy. Sometimes

even chills. Here it is:

Moment #3: R.I.P., pants

No pun intended there, really, I promise, it just worked out that way. But singer/bass player Jordan Miller’s pants split right up the butt at about the three-quarter mark of the show. She played it for a laugh and it was all pretty PG, so it was a fun moment. Janet Jackson had the nip slip. Jordan had the crack attack.

Moment #4: Kylie shreds up “Money”

There’s no guitar solo in the album version of their first-album hit “Money.” And I don’t remember hearing one in the two previous live shows I’ve been to. But there is one now and it’s raucous and majestic.

Moment #5: Jordan’s banshee wails

“Highway 6,” never fails to be a showstopper. Partly because it stands out as the only slow-tempo song in the set. But mostly because the sheer power of Jordan’s voice gets to shine through.

Moment #6: Kylie does Kylie

Aside from all the guitar shredery, Kylie also got to take the spotlight on vocals during a surprise cover of Kylie Minogue’s “Can’t Get You Out of My Head.” Leandra contributed some sparkling keys to that one, too.

Moment #7: Kung Fu Leandra

Now that David Lee Roth is in his 60s, I’m not sure anyone in rock right now executes a leg kick like Leandra Earl. And she treated us to a bunch.

Moment #8: “Bad Behaviour” is really good

The Beaches played a couple of new songs for us and I can tell that “Bad Behaviour” is going to be a track that will delight my ear holes endlessly when it’s released.

Moment #9: They became my favourite band

Ironically, I was thinking recently how I don’t really have a single favourite band right now. Clearly that changed tonight. I’ve loved The Beaches since I first heard “Money” in October 2017, so they’ve been up there as one of my faves for a while. But there was a moment a few songs in tonight, an epiphany, where my brain just said, that’s it, this is my favourite band. The writer in me would have loved for that moment to come during the song “Moment.” But, no, it was “Sweet Life.” Near the end of the song, the lights were strobing white while Kylie rhythmically slashed away at her guitar and Eliza pounded away… and that was it. It was drama, it was explosive energy, it was glorious noise… it was The Beaches, my new favourite band.