All Them Witches Enchants Toronto with a Sold-Out Stoner Rock Experience at History

jaybroderick
12 minutes ago
4 min read

By: Jay Broderick

Toronto, Canada - Toronto’s History was buzzing on December 9, 2025, as All Them Witches brought their stoner rock magic to a sold-out crowd. Originally slated for Danforth Music Hall, the show was upgraded to History due to overwhelming demand, a testament to the band’s growing cult following. The venue was packed wall-to-wall, with fans eager for a night of heavy grooves and immersive soundscapes.

I arrived early, awaiting my buddy Mike to meet me inside the venue. He had actually reached out to me fully intent on taking in this show, which he thought was a King Buffalo headlined event. He wasn’t alone either. Judging by the cheers, a sizable portion of the audience was there for the Rochester trio. Before the lights dimmed, I had caught up with Toronto music journalist author, and mathematics storyteller Sunil Singh, who promised me I’d be blown away. I told him he better not let me down.

King Buffalo

Mike made it just in time, with a few minutes to spare. The moment King Buffalo’s intro music "Ecliptic" hit, the crowd erupted. With a very dark, dimly lit stage (the best lighting through the whole set was on drummer Scott Donaldson), the band opened their set with their 2022 track "Hours". By the second track "Loam", the bass was pounding so hard it rattled the floorboards. Early on in their set, the band's frontman Sean McVay introduced the band as hailing from Rochester, New York, and teased the crowd about being ready for All Them Witches. One fan shouted back, “We’re here for you!!”, and judging by the sheer volume of cheers, they weren’t exaggerating.

King Buffalo’s set was moody, heavy, and hypnotic. Dark, smoky lighting wrapped the band in atmosphere as they worked through slow, brooding tracks. The 4th song in their set “Drinking from the River Rising” left the audience mesmerized, and the breakdown of the fifth song "Centurion" drew massive applause. For their closer "Morning Song", they brought out Ben McLeod, guitarist of All Them Witches, to jam with them... a fitting bridge between opener and headliner.

Though the band didn’t move much on stage, their fans didn’t care. The crowd was locked in, completely enamored with the sounds emanating from the stage. King Buffalo proved they’re more than just an opener... they’re a force in their own right.

All Them Witches

All Them Witches wasted no time setting the tone as Black Sabbath’s “War Pigs” echoed through the concert venue. The most loved song had fans belting out every lyric. One particularly ecstatic fan shouted, “I’ve been locked up for years and I’m loving every minute of this!”, a raw testament to the healing properties of live music.

From the start with opening track "Diamond", the band was immersed and in their zone. Their slow, brooding beats carried the same weight as King Buffalo, but with an added layer of fullness and expertise. Guitarist Ben McLeod prowled the stage, bending strings and stepping forward to meet the crowd, while keyboardist Allan Van Cleave surprised by pulling out a fiddle for "1 X 1", weaving folk textures into the heavy haze.

After an introduction of the band as being from Nashville, Tennessee by singer/bassist Charles Michael Parkes Jr., the band's third track "Blood and Sand/Milk and Endless Waters" had the front row nodding in unison, heads slowly banging to the hypnotic rhythm. With that, the band's set built steadily, ultimately sending the crowd into a frenzy by the time their 6th song of the evening "Hold Up Say What?" resonated out. Red lights flashed across the venue as the tempo picked up. Van Cleave then returned to the fiddle for the folkish tale “The Children of Coyote Woman”, a moment of stillness that felt like an immersive expedition. The audience erupted in applause at its close.

Charles Michael Parks Jr. performs live in Toronto. Photo By: Jay Broderick

As I was speaking with Sunil Singh ahead of tonight's show, and he was building up the hype for what I was about to witness, one thing he made sure I was aware, and that was that you couldn't put All Them Witches into any single musical genre catalogue. The band proved this when the guitar kicked in for "Harvest Feast", a bluesy jam, showcasing the band’s versatility and sheer musical prowess. Again, the crowd stared in awe, completely mesmerized by the soundscapes dancing on their eardrums.

All Them Witches kept the versatile them going when “Enemy of My Enemy” kicked the energy up another notch and “When God Comes Back” raised the bar even higher, ending with a blistering guitar lead that left the crowd roaring.

By the end of this one, it was clear, All Them Witches had delivered a masterclass in live rock and roll.

Set List

Diamond

1x1

Blood and Sand/Milk and Endless Waters

Charles William

Saturn Song

Hold Up Say What ?

The Children of Coyote Woman

Cowboy Kirk

Harvest Feast

Enemy of My Enemy

When God Comes Back

Culling Line

Red Rocking Chair (traditional folk cover)

The Death of Coyote Woman

Encore:

Bulls

Alabaster

Mike ducked out just before 10:00, muttering “they’re alright.” I laughed and playfully told him not to be like that! For me, this was a night of heavy transcendence, where King Buffalo’s brooding power and All Them Witches’ layered immersion combined for something really great!

While I'm not certain I was "blown away", Sunil Singh was right in that I would witness something unforgettable.

Concert Photo Gallery (all photos by Jay Broderick)