Review and photos by: Kay Arnal
Date: December 10, 2024
On Friday, December 6th, Courriers headlined Sidestage alongside other Winnipeg bands, The Program, Breathe In, and Elseweyr. The show was a massive hit with the packed crowd at the venue. People danced, moshed, and cheered as each band delivered the best local show I had seen in months.
Elseweyr, a four-member grunge-shoegaze band, kicked off the show with their songs "27," "Glass," and "Desire." As Justin noted in his review of their debut set, they are a "loud and emotional callback to '90s and 2000s alternative music."
Their sound is such a throwback that it is like being transported back to the early 2000s. It reminds me of being a kid again with my MP3 player, enjoying life and kicking back without a care. However, their heavier songs brought a different kind of energy. Their final track, "Haunted," had the crowd moshing from start to finish. The intensity was off the charts, with people fully immersed in the chaos—jumping, pushing, and letting loose to every riff.
Their track "Haunted" is their heaviest song to date. "It's supposed to represent feelings of paranoia, being followed through the dark by an unseen entity, trying so hard to stay ahead," said guitarist Trevor. "The second half represents the feeling of giving up and letting that 'feeling' or 'spirit' consume you entirely—realizing you are the one following from behind, your shadow always watching."
Be sure to check out Elseweyr if you're a fan of Hum, Blur, or Nirvana.
Up next was post-hardcore band Breathe In, which awed the room with its fiery stage presence. They kicked off their set with their songs "Exile" and "Grave," and then promptly switched up for a cover of "Kiss Me Thru the Phone" by Soulja Boy, which was surprising but not at all unwelcome by the crowd as it got people singing and dancing along. They wrapped up their set with four more heavy songs and ended the night, leaving the crowd exhilarated and buzzing for more. If you like the self-titled album Bad Omens or bands like Boundaries and Counterparts, these metalcore talents are the right fit for your playlist. Not to mention, frontman Chris Olson bears a slight resemblance to a younger Noah Sebastian.
Punk band The Program came in with a bang! And when I say "bang," I mean, they blew me away. Their stage presence was so good that they managed to get people excited the whole time. They were jumping, shredding, and dancing.
Guitarist Jack caught my attention the most, and it wasn't just because of the sunglasses on stage—it was the fact that he was utterly lost in the music, fully engaged with the crowd, and radiating such raw energy. You could tell he was living up there for every moment.
Their set consisted of some songs from their new album, Every Which Way, like "Drifter" and "320 Pages," as well as two new songs not on the album, "Cull the Heard (Weakest Link)" and "SICK" among a few other songs. A key moment during their set was The Program Man. Literally, just a man in a blue shirt that reads "The Program Man," wearing sunglasses, dancing with two maracas in his hands. He was having the time of his life in the crowd—and you know what? It was fun. Pure, unfiltered joy and it was impossible not to feed off that energy.
Headlining the evening was post-hardcore band Courriers, fronted by Mosh Media crew member Justin Fisher. Courriers have been featured on Mosh Media a few times and always kill their set. Their set consisted of songs from their new Hell Has Beautiful Sights album. Those songs included "GOOD THINGS FALL APVRT," "Euphoria," and "Single Stamina," among others. Courriers always have a knack for getting the crowd hyped, be it moshing or dancing, and they always engage with the crowd by talking to them and making them feel seen. Courriers also released some of their first-ever merch at the show, including tee shirts, hand-painted tote bags, and best friend bracelets so you can be a #CourriersBestie. If you're a Silverstein, Calling All Captains, or Loathe fan, you should check out their next show, December 28th, at the Handsome Daughter.
The show was a success, and the crowd was excitedly buzzing. I overheard people saying it was one of their favourite shows, praising the band's energy and diversity. They loved every minute of it and hoped for a return performance soon. The vibe was contagious and you could tell everyone was counting down the days until they saw them live again.
Local Winnipeg shows to check out:
December 13th, 2024 @ The Handsome Daughter - What's Your Excuse?
December 28th, 2024 @ The Handsome Daughter - Exile In Time, Courriers, HARM
January 21st, 2025 @ The Handsome Daughter - Pkew Pkew Pkew (Toronto) and Guilty Sleep
For more of Kays work find her on Instagram
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