Three Days Grace Ignites Toronto in a Riot of Sound at Budweiser Stage

Written and Captured By | Karim Ebrahim

Toronto buzzed with excitement as fans approached Budweiser Stage, ready to headbang and mosh to Norwood, Ontario’s native band — Three Days Grace. As many neared the venue, one thing was certain: this was going to be a crazy show.

The night kicked off with Wage War delivering an incredibly powerful performance filled with heavy bass, pounding drums, and smoke displays that amplified their stage energy. Briton Bond, Wage War’s lead vocalist, worked the stage left and right, feeding off the energy of his fellow band members. He mixed his unclean vocal growls and screams in a way that perfectly complemented the music, setting the tone for the rest of the night.

As Wage War finished and the stage transitioned, the second act began — Volbeat. Their iconic goat sound played as they took the stage. Concertgoers in the front row were treated to a medley of guitar riffs and a powerful performance by the Danish band. Volbeat’s sound was a seamless fit for the evening, blending elements of Wage War’s heaviness with a more melodic rock style that set the stage for Three Days Grace.

After Volbeat’s set wrapped up and the stage transitioned once more, the entire setup changed. The lighting became more intense, building anticipation as drums adorned with the iconic Three Days Grace logo and the skeleton-hand mic stand appeared onstage. Fans waited eagerly for the main act and were welcomed with classics like I Am Machine and Time of Dying, which sparked more crowd surfing than earlier in the night.

Three Days Grace performed a mix of classic, iconic songs alongside new tracks from their upcoming album Alienation. Gontier, the band’s lead singer, delivered a heartfelt solo performance titled Apologies. At his request, fans lit up the venue with their cellphones, adding to the emotional, tear-filled moment.

After Apologies concluded, the rest of the band returned to play more songs from their early 2000s lineup — hits that many concertgoers grew up listening to. The night culminated in a highly anticipated performance of Riot. As soon as the opening notes played, the crowd erupted in cheers. Each member gave a high-energy performance, taking full command of the stage.

The show concluded with Riot, and as the crowd roared and applauded, Three Days Grace returned to the stage for a final bow — a heartfelt musical love letter to Toronto’s Budweiser Stage audience.