An Epic Night Unfolds: Live, Big Wreck and Econoline Crush Rock the Arena in Oshawa
- jaybroderick
- 4 hours ago
- 5 min read
By: Jay Broderick
Oshawa, Canada - Tribute Communities Centre... full arena energy at half the size! It has that sweet spot where the sound hits harder. For the observer, the sightlines are better. And for those of us living east of Toronto, it’s a rare thrill to catch a bill this stacked without trekking downtown. For a metalhead who focused his music energies to 90s alternative in that same decade, I learned a couple Live songs on an acoustic guitar, yet somehow never managed to see the band in their heyday. So this show carried a strange mix of nostalgia and first‑time excitement.
Of course, the elephant in the room is the long‑running legal and personal split between frontman Ed Kowalczyk and the rest of Live. The name remains, but the lineup behind him is new. A fan ahead of the show summed up the sentiment with a shrug... “It’s just not the same when it’s one guy. I won’t even see Pantera with just Phil.” I'm not certain I agree. I covered Pantera here for a different online magazine back in 2024, and it was friggin' amazing! But either way, with Econoline Crush and Big Wreck on the bill, I was expecting this night to be something special.
Econoline Crush
Econoline Crush hit the stage first... or tried to. The moment the band stepped out, something was clearly wrong. Their backing tracks refused to fire, leaving the drummer frantically troubleshooting while the rest of the band paced and exchanged looks. Five minutes can feel like an eternity when an arena is waiting.
When they finally gave up on the tech, vocalist Trevor Hurst stepped to the mic with a wry grin. “Last show of the tour for us… of course this is the one where something happens to our equipment. But we’re gonna rock out old school.” And they did, as they kicked their set off with the 1995 track "Wicked".
Even with the rocky start, Hurst was a live wire, darting side to side, leaping on the stage, and throwing himself into every line. They leaned into fan favourites from The Devil You Know, including “You Don’t Know What It’s Like” and “Surefire,” and once the band locked in, the energy shifted. The crowd warmed, the band loosened, and by the end of the short 6 song set, the early hiccup felt like a footnote.
Big Wreck
I’ve been fortunate to have photographed Big Wreck three times. The last being in 2024 when they supported Creed at Budweiser Stage. Man, I have to say that I have never seen them come out swinging like this! After "The Oaf", "Locomotive" and "Bombs Away", it was obvious that this was the best I’ve ever seen Ian Thornley and the boys. The singer/guitarist was bouncing around the stage with a looseness and swagger that felt almost youthful. Bassist Dave McMillan grooved like it was his last night on earth. Drummer Sekou Lumumba hit with the kind of force that makes your ribs vibrate. And guitarist Chris Caddell kept the rhythm firing on all cylinders.
One of the things that makes my heart sing with joy is seeing the crowd on their feet. Sure enough, the floor was on its feet early, and it stayed that way as Thornley welcomed the crowd, introduced a new track “Dog With a Gun” and then eased into a slow, moody intro that had me expecting a sea of cellphone lights. Surprisingly, the arena stayed dark… until the unmistakable opening melody of “Albatross” rang out. Thornley’s voice soared, holding notes with a clarity and power that drew huge cheers and a wave of “woooos” from the stands.
From there, the band swung back into high gear as the band detonated into “Blown Wide Open.” This time, the flashlights came out, flickering across the arena, fans with arms thrown around each other, and the floor turned into a full‑on singalong. They closed with “That Song,” and the crowd belted the chorus “to the top of their lungs.” A standing ovation followed them offstage. Big Wreck didn’t just warm up the room... they nearly stole the night.
Live
Right on cue, the house lights dropped... a white, semi‑transparent curtain covered the stage. A cinematic intro rolled across the screen behind it. Abstract imagery, flashes of colour, and when the opening to "Operation Spirit" kicked in, the curtain fell to reveal the five‑piece lined up dramatically at the back of the stage. Bassist Chris Heerlein, with his shaved head and beard, looked uncannily like a younger Kerry King… on bass.
Ed Kowalczyk cracked open a beer, saluted the crowd, and the band tore into the early classics. “Selling the Drama", "Freaks" and "All Over You” had the arena singing, and Ed’s voice, still sharp, still unmistakably him, cut through the mix with surprising ease.
Ed announced they were “putting the time machine away” to make room for new music, sharing a heartfelt thought about how music—more than any other art—can heal you when you hear it. They launched into “Leave the Radio On,” accompanied by visuals of spinning vinyl grooves. It was warm, nostalgic, and easily one of the night’s standout moments.
Then came a run of intimate, stripped‑down songs... kust Ed and a mandolin‑wielding guitarist.
“Heaven”, written when his daughter was born 23 years ago. Kowalczyk dedicated the track to “all the ladies and daughters in the house.” The crowd took over the chorus. Then the singer donned a cowboy hat and jacket for "Horse", the secret track from the band's most popular record Throwing Copper. Kowalczyk leaned into the song’s dusty, country‑tinged vibe. Closing out the mini-set, Ed was joined by keyboardist Nick Jay and the pair brought the arena down to a hush with “Overcome”.
As the rest of the band returned for “Rattlesnake,” they kicked the tempo back up and got the floor moving again. The crowd never sat down... not once... not even during the previous, melancholic 3-track run
And then came “Lakini’s Juice.” Guitarist Zak Loy hyped the crowd, Ed handed a beer to a fan in the front row, and the stage exploded into red and yellow lights. Fans in the stands rose to their feet as the band hammered through the heaviest track of the night. It felt like a finale as the band left the stage… but of course, they weren’t done.
The 3 song encore was inevitable. The band returned with "Turn My Head", "I Alone", and of course, the band's smash hit "Lightning Crashes".
Set List
Operation Spirit (The Tyranny of Tradition)
Selling the Drama
Freaks
All Over You
Pain Lies on the Riverside
The Beauty of Gray
Run to the Water
The Dolphin's Cry
Leave the Radio On
Heaven
Horse
Overcome
Rattlesnake
Lakini's Juice
Encore:
Turn My Head
I Alone
Lightning Crashes
Three bands, one arena, and a crowd that stayed loud from start to finish. Econoline Crush fought through some technical difficulties, Big Wreck delivered their best performance that I had ever seen, and Live (despite the complicated history) proved that Ed Kowalczyk still has the voice, presence, and emotional weight to carry the name.
For a 90s alternative music fan, finally seeing Live for the first time was a night worth waiting for. Even though it's just"one guy" from the original lineup.
Concert Photo Gallery (all photos by: Jay Broderick)
Live Online
Show Date: March 9, 2026
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