Words & Photos by Lori Gutman
On the second to last stop on the Down The Waterfront Ten Year Anniversary Tour in Montreal, QC, I met up with Brian, Matt, Kyle, and Luke two hours before doors. I hung around with them at the merch table for a bit as they were getting settled in at Le National. Once they finished sorting through the merch, checking inventory, and preparing the table, the group went over to the Tim Hortons next door before realizing there was a Starbucks a block away.
After a much needed coffee run, everyone was determined to go somewhere and explore a bit, and someone suggested heading over to a random music store that wasn’t too far away. We made a valiant attempt but, despite the fact that it was one of Montreal’s warmer winter days, it proved too cold for an eight-block venture to a store I still don’t know the name of.
Instead, we went back to the merch tables and hung around for a bit, waiting for doors to open. In typical Montreal fashion, they opened late, and I’m sure the extra half hour was rough on the line of fans extending around the corner and down the block.
From what I have personally witnessed, opening bands often don’t have many people coming up to meet them until after they have succeeded in winning the crowd over with their live show. But after concertgoers started piling into the venue, an impressive number of fans came over to buy some merch, talk to the dudes in Major League, and take some photos with them.
After My Iron Lung finished performing, Major League headed over to the backstage area to set up. They were nice enough to grant me all-access, so I had the chance to shoot them from on-stage.
“Check. Check. Coat check,” Kyle said, poking fun at the fact that the coat check line ran out the doors. Not long after, they started their set off with “Wallflower,” before going into “Homewrecker” and then “Pillow Talk.” Although the crowd could have been more active and supportive, they did have their moments. Towards the end of Major League’s set, everyone in the crowd was moving and waving their hands back and forth.
Once they got off stage, the guys headed back to the merch tables to hang out and meet more fans while also enjoying Hands Like Houses, Beartooth, and Silverstein.
If you missed Major League on the DTW10 Tour, don’t fret too much. In the upcoming weeks, the band will be headlining a show in Springfield, VA, on March 14th at Empire, as well as supporting Hidden In Plain View in Philadelphia on April 9th and NYC on April 11th. If you can’t make it to any of those dates, Major League will also be performing at this year’s Skate and Surf, as well as heading out for a full run on this summer’s Vans Warped Tour. Don’t miss out again—this band is definitely worth checking out!
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