Words: Miljan Milekić
Anniversary tours exist in a weird space. More often than not, they feel like a cheap money grab by an artist or a band on a downward trajectory, trying to cash in on nostalgia. Other times, they are a genuine celebration, a throwback for both the artist and their fans, and an opportunity to reconnect and reminisce. Cancer Bats fall firmly into the second category.
As for me, I was a little bit late to the party. Living most of my life in a tiny corner of Southeast Europe, I only discovered Cancer Bats in 2012, after stumbling across the video for their cover of ‘Sabotage.’ I wasn’t there for the initial run of ‘Birthing the Giant,’ and a glance at the crowd told me I wasn’t the only one. Yes, a big chunk of them were old school fans of the band, but a significant number belonged to a younger generation, some not even born when the record came out, which became a theme throughout the night.
The first band to hit the stage was Chastity from Whitby, Ontario. I only recently discovered them through songs like ‘Summer All Over Again’ and ‘Pummeling,’ and their sound instantly grabbed my attention. Landing somewhere between post-hardcore and indie rock, they delivered a strong set, leaning more toward their heavier songs. By the time they started, the club was already pretty packed, and judging by the crowd’s reactions, they gained quite a few new fans.
The next two bands seemed to be familiar faces to the Saskatoon crowd. Teeth brought their dark and aggressive metalcore sound, delivering the heaviest set of the night. The Hamilton, ON, mob was radiating energy from the stage, and the fans were ready for it, especially a teenage fan from the front row who got pulled onto the stage to headbang with the band for a song or two, creating some core memories.
Teeth were quickly followed by Vancouver four-piece Anciients, bringing their combination of stoner, sludge, and progressive metal. On paper, an odd choice for a show headlined by a hardcore band, but considering the band in question is Cancer Bats, who themselves were heavily influenced by those very corners of the metal world, it all made perfect sense. It was obvious they shared a lot of the same crowd, and it didn’t take them long to take control of the stage. Another strong set by a good band to raise the temperature just where it needed to be before the band of the night.
The moment Cancer Bats hit the stage, the energy in the club turned up a notch or two. They immediately struck with ‘Golden Tanks,’ and by the time the first few notes of ‘French Immersion’ kicked in, the crowd was already going – pun intended – batshit. The band was cruising through the tracks from ‘Birthing the Giant,’ front to back, just like on the record, using the pauses in between to share stories from their two-decade-long career.
We heard a story about their first ever show in Saskatoon 20 years ago, when they played in the back alley and sold merch from a van, or another from 18 years ago when Liam Cormier cut his forehead open swinging the microphone, bleeding all over the stage and the fans in the front rows, earning ten stitches in the process. Cancer Bats were always a hard-working, heavy-touring band, and by their own admission, Saskatoon was always there for them, since the early days.
Today, at the height of their power, playing their biggest show in the city to date, these songs hit different. Yes, there were fans who had been at those early shows – even some sickos (Liam Cormier™) who apparently kept the bloody shirts from the infamous basement show, but there were just as many new fans spanning generations. The fact didn’t escape Liam, who made a few younger fans in the front rows promise they would create a thrash metal band called “Barf Police or something” and continue the flame of hardcore and metal music.
As the album tracklist was nearing the end, the tension was rising, culminating with ‘Pneumonia Hawk,’ an anthem that wreaked havoc in the crowd. From there, the band kept delivering heavy hitters like ‘Hail Destroyer’ and ‘Bricks & Mortar,’ while also celebrating the last date of the tour with Teeth’s Blake Louis Prince and Chastity’s Brandon Williams joining them on stage. ‘Hammering On’ brought another new face to the stage – crew member and artist in her own right Brooklyn Doran, while the final nails in the coffin came in the form of two more bangers ‘Sabotage’ and ‘Winterpeg.’
While their set offered very few surprises, it was one to witness. Looking back, ‘Birthing the Giant’ is a big part of the Canadian hardcore scene, and a record that marked the arrival of a future pillar. And twenty-two years into their career, Cancer Bats are not anywhere near done. Even better, they have a new record just around the corner.
