Celebrating 20 Years of 'The Question': Emery Live at Adelaide Hall with Special Guests
- jaybroderick
- 5 days ago
- 7 min read
By: Josh Friesen
Toronto, Canada - Toronto’s Adelaide Hall was buzzing long before the first note rang out. The small venue quickly filled shoulder-to-shoulder with fans eager to mark a milestone: Emery’s 20th anniversary of The Question. But nostalgia wasn’t the only force at play. With Wolves at the Gate’s faithful following fueling anticipation, and Josh Scogin's new project '68, the night promised a collision of past, present, and future in heavy music.
Wolves At The Gate
The night opened with Wolves at the Gate setting up on a stage flooded by blue lights. As the band dialed in their sound, fans traded stories about past Christian metal shows like For Today. One of which, the vocalist was asked to stop speaking to the crowd about his faith. For Wolves at the Gate, faith isn’t a side note — it’s the mission. Their purpose is to be an instrument of praise to further glorify God and a vehicle to spread the gospel of the love that Jesus preached while here on earth to save those who are lost, even in spaces that don’t always welcome it.
When the set began, the sound was tight and polished — crisp guitars, roaring vocals, and a rhythm section that filled every inch of the intimate room. While strong and enthusiastic, it didn’t overshadow the rest of the bands to come, but simply served to lay the ground for getting the crowd engaged for a night of music and laughter. Nick Detty’s growls and Steve Cobucci’s melodic harmonies built energy until a playful circle pit finally erupted.
As light, melodic music played in the background, Cobucci paused mid-set to share the heart behind their message. He spoke candidly about how religion has been misused for power and control. From politicians who use Jesus’ name to get your votes to televangelists who use it to get you to give them money and self-proclaimed teachers who use it to control you — how he once bought into that himself — until he discovered that Jesus’ name actually had a meaning. That meaning literally being, “God saves.” Jesus didn’t come for your votes, money or to wage wars, he said. “He came to be a saviour.” He went on to explain that he saw his great need for a saviour and thought to himself that if he gave to God that He’ll love him. If he served God, He’ll love him. But the reality was that His name is the God who saves. Not the God who receives. He thought he had to give Him something and Cobucci was changed when he came to understand who He truly was. That He was God who came in the flesh to serve a sinful person like you and I to give us the greatest gift that we could never earn or purchase ourselves. And it was to save us from our sins.
The room fell silent as he invited anyone who wanted to learn more to stop by their booth afterward. It was a powerful reminder that for Wolves at the Gate, their music is more than just sound — its testimony. They then closed off their set with an anthem of their song, "A Voice In The Violence".
'68
Where do we even begin with '68? The sound they produced was massive—far beyond what you’d expect from a duo.
Imagine two James Bond look-a likes on a stage—not trained in espionage, high-speed chases, and dodging death, but in the art of raw, creative chaos. Instead of spy gadgets, countless sound effects that left you wondering what was to come next. Dressed in tuxedos, they delivered an unforgettable sonic experience that felt equal parts refined and reckless. The banquet was over. It was time to loosen the bow tie, ditch the jacket, and let the rock erupt.
Hailing from Atlanta, '68 is a powerhouse rock duo that knows how to captivate a crowd. With Josh Scogin—former vocalist and founding member of Norma Jean and The Chariot—on guitar and vocals, and the remarkably skilled Nikko Yamada on drums, the two have redefined what it means to be a rock duo.
As they set up, Nikko positioned his drum kit slightly off-centre of the stage, likely puzzling those unfamiliar with the band as to why it was there. Josh then began to surround himself with pedals, angled toward Nikko—it was time for a showdown. What followed was a wild, improvisational performance blending fuzzy guitar effects, jazz-infused drum fills, and snippets of radio recordings, creating a rich, analog-digital soundscape. Midway through, Josh handed his guitar to a girl in the front row, leaving her utterly confused as he ran to the back, grabbed a theremin, and began to add ethereal, otherworldly sounds that collaboratively contributed to the rest of their music dynamically and innovatively. It was a raw, spontaneous performance—an unrestrained collision of creativity and sound.
With a drummer reminiscent of artists like Jeff Watts or Mark Guiliana slapped on a canvas with a grungy rock duo like The Whites Stripes or Royal Blood and a hint of some of that distinct heavy sound you get from Norma Jean; these two conjured up a sound that managed to stay fresh and original. Let’s not forget to mention Elvis being reincarnated through Josh Scogin’s new persona. These guys knew how to put on a good show and had the stage presence to boot. You could tell they have a lot of fun and really enjoy what they do. It’s like watching two kids playing in a room together mesmerized by all of what the world around them has to offer.
As the sound continued to soar, their set was slowly coming to a halt. But rather than an abrupt ending of a song, Nikko broke out into a drum solo that carried on the unfolding intensity that simply blossomed as Josh took off his guitar once again and began to dismantle Nikko’s drum kit piece by piece. All the while, Nikko prevailed to play, displaying even further his level of talent. As the kit slowly dissipated from the stage, the sound diminished and began to dissolve, all the while remaining completely compelling. It was as if everything they had just played was being rewound to be viewed in reverse. What a way to end the show.
Emery
What year is it again? Because the members of one of my favourite emo bands from my youth seem to have grey hair… and kids. It feels like just yesterday I was riding the bus to school with my Walkman and struggling to keep a pair of earbuds in my ears that just wouldn’t stay in. You know the type. The ones that you have to cram into your ear canal and you start to question if it’s touching your eardrum yet or even your brain. Speaking of questions, this year kicks off Emery’s 20th anniversary tour of their album, The Question.
A sense of nostalgia filled the room as Emery took to stage clothed in tracksuits. Yes. Tracksuits! The kind you see your grandfather wearing when he’s trying to get back into shape. Or perhaps given our age now, simply our parents. Emery isn’t a band to take themselves too seriously. The small venue provided a feeling of intimacy with the band, bringing everyone together and immersing the crowd into the classic hooks of their music that left everyone singing along song after song.
The band played much of the material off their album The Question, alongside some other songs from The Weak’s End and I’m Only A Man. They also debuted some new versions of their songs from White Line Fever, an album they had originally removed from streaming platforms and have begun to rewrite a new release for.
For most of the show, Emery remained as the 5-piece post-hardcore band we all know and love fronted by their two current singers, Toby and Devin as they passed a rugged, road-worn bass back and forth from song to song. The band slammed out guitar riffs accompanied by beautiful, antiphonal harmonic singing and screaming that overflowed the crowd creating a tapestry of sound that reflects their deep lyrical content of vulnerability, distress and introspection. Devin and Toby also split off into doing some acoustic renditions of their songs on their own. After all, many of their songs, as they noted, started out being written in a garage on acoustic guitars. This left for an emotional moment with fans and also some comedic elements as Devin asked Toby to reach over and fix his guitar strap that was slowly falling off. All the while, Toby continued to try his best to sing into his microphone which was now slightly out of reach.
The crowd’s response to their songs was enthusiastic and exhilarating. So much so that the band was able to back off the vocals for various lines and allow the crowd to shout the parts, creating a beautiful choir of melodies. The night truly felt like a celebration of a long, committed journey with their fans that hall-marked their 20th anniversary of this album and not just any ordinary concert. The high-energy continued to grow as the night went on and Toby continued to sing and jump into the audience becoming engulfed by the crowd around him. Fans applauded as each song came to an end. It was clear everyone was having a night they would remember for years to come. The mix sounded great, especially for such a small venue, and was a reflection of the hard work they’ve put in over the years of committed practice and touring to get their sound just right.
As their set came to an end, the fans remained standing around, stunned by the emotional impact their music just had on them. The band members approached the front of the stage to shake people’s hands and greet them. Some fans took pictures with Devin and Toby while having small discussions about how much their music means to them. Other fans continued to talk amongst themselves and check out the merch booths after until the venue slowly cleared itself out.
Concert Photo Gallery (all photo by Josh Friesen)
Emery Online
Show Date: November 7, 2025
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