It’s surprising to think that a group as known for their amazing live shows as Japandroids have not released a live album. That changes with Massey Fucking Hall, named for the iconic Toronto venue where it was recorded in 2017 on their tour with Cloud Nothings. It will be out digitally on June 19 via ANTI-, with physical versions out October 2. “We never thought we’d have the opportunity to play at Massey Hall,” says drummer David Prowse. “It’s the most legendary venue in Canada by far, but it didn’t seem like a natural spot for a band like us to play. It’s a 100+ year old seated theatre, which isn’t the usual type of spot you expect to see Japandroids. Honestly, when we got off the stage that night, I remember feeling a sense of relief and exhilaration, but the whole thing felt like a bit of a blur. It was a very emotional show for me. We were both pretty nervous getting up on that stage.”
You can hear a bit of it now via “Heart Sweats,” which was originally on 2009’s Post-Nothing. “We’ve always loved playing that one live,” says Prowse. “It’s just got a great sense of momentum and never fails to get me hyped. During that tour we were playing it second or third in the set. It consistently feels like the moment in the set where I just get that sense of ‘oh yeah we’re cooking now,’ and everything just locks in and we’re ripping through the rest of the set. All the nerves are gone and it’s the moment where we’re just locked in and totally in the zone.” Listen to that below.
You can check out the album tracklist and and watch pro-shot video from the Massey Hall show, below.
As for playing live and the current pandemic situation we’re all in, Prowse says, “I miss playing them and I miss being in the crowd. When you love music, there are few things more uplifting and cathartic than being in a room full of people at a live show. To not have that opportunity to experience live music together with a group of people has been hard to adjust to. It’s disorienting and it makes me sad to think about it. I hope that maybe in some small way people who are feeling similarly can find some solace in this record. They can hear the crowd and listen to us having the time of our lives at a historic venue and maybe that makes life a little easier for a minute, and reminds them that those moments will happen again down the road.”
You can also check out a gallery of Japandroids at Brooklyn Steel show, which was just two days after the Massey Hall show, below.
Massey Fucking Hall tracklist:
1. Near To The Wild Heart Of Life
2. Fire’s Highway3. Heart Sweats
4. Arc Of Bar
5. Younger Us
6. North East South West
7. The Nights of Wine And Roses
8. No Known Drink Or Drug9. Continuous Thunder
10. Young Hearts Spark Fire
11. Sovereignty
12. The House That Heaven Built
