GV’s at The Baby G: Lear Haven and guests bring their good vibes to Toronto
- Justin Michael Carriere
- 6 hours ago
- 4 min read
By: Justin Michael Carriere
Toronto, Ontario - “Prepare to be Amazed” was a long time motto for Oshawa, Ontario, so when doing my research to see homegrown talent Lear Haven, I prepared. They then proceeded to hold up their end of the bargain, and amazed! The trio from The Motor City brought their distinct classic rock sound to The Baby G in Toronto on Thursday night.
With their self titled first album out in 2024, an EP released in 2025, and new music on the way, Johnny Ross (vocals, keys), Danny Black (guitar) and Mike Loyal (drums) are carving a space for themselves in the local music scene. Partnering with bass player Oleg Sidorenko, the band is prepping for an upcoming tour of Spain and gave the Baby G crowd a demonstration of the musical force they’ll be bringing overseas.
Garlic Jr.
Opening the night, guest artist Garlic Jr. took to the stage armed with a bass guitar, drum machine and an abundance of effect pedals. A self described solo noise-rock artist, he made his way through the tracks off his 2024 EP Return to the Mountain. The dissonant sounds he produced from the outset woke us up like a cold blast of winter wind! The blistering crunch of the bass guitar combined with his 606 drum machine kept us off balance but unable to look away for the short duration of his set.
In Reznorian fashion he built layer upon layer of sound before unleashing a full sonic assault, grabbing the early crowd by the scruff of the neck and not letting go until he walked off the stage. It makes me excited for what’s to come with the release of Return to the Mountain’s sister EP The Fifth Horse in 2026.
Scummm
Next up on the Baby G stage was Toronto rock quartet Scummm. Taking charge of a now full house, they powered through original tunes like “Hot Head” (with a literal towel covering what I can only assume was a truly hot head!), “Winning”, featuring vocals coming behind the bass guitar and drum kit, and, “Saint Debbie”, showcasing some driving drum work and a story… well, a story that may be a tad too risqué for this publication to write about!
The group crafted a tongue-in-cheek aura, being sure to inform us on a couple of occasions about the exciting opportunity to become “angel investors”. The band packs a punch and I have my fingers crossed they find their angels because they’re worth betting on! Oh, and if you’ve been titillated (the only word I feel comfortable using) about “Saint Debbie”, Scummm is playing their next show April 18th at the Houndstooth, so take a trip over to see if you’ll get to hear the raunchy tale!
Lear Haven
The stage was then set for Lear Haven to take over… with an atmospheric and disembodied voice setting the tone, the band launched into “Riverrun” off their self-titled album. The track offers the perfect introduction for the band’s music; from Ross’s liquid tenor vocals and Black’s beautiful Gibson tone to Loyal’s aggressive drum work and Sidorenko’s fluid bass lines. They all merge to form a classic rock sound cranked up with a 2026 edge.
Ross commands the stage with soaring vocals that seem so effortless it’s hard not to think he’s been magically transported from the golden age of Zeppelin, Sabbath and The Who. He weaves together story and song like a shaman summoned to soothe and restore our weary Toronto bones. He kept the energy and pace and our rapt attention for the entirety of the set.
Black’s guitar work was exceptional; there never seemed to be anything “easy” happening with the music sonically, but he made it look like he was taking a Sunday afternoon stroll and just happened to rip the face off some guitar solos when he was doing it.
While bass players and drummers can often be relegated to “support” roles in a band, never once did I think that of either Loyal and Sidorenko. It seemed like on every song, in addition to their great rhythm work, there was either a slick drum fill or bass run to grab my attention.
Working their way through material from their first album, songs like “Blue Smoke” feature all the above-mentioned talents, with the duo of Loyal and Sidorenko leaving their mark with perfectly timed fills that seem to mist through the track. “Soulbreaker” is another great example of the 70’s sound turned up to 11. Its catchy melody and a sing along-able (if that’s a word??) chorus had the audience moving and grooving on the Baby G’s dance floor.
A highlight of the evening was the band’s performance of its track “Atlantis”; the sprawling, epic feel is the perfect showcase for both Ross and Black to let go. The vocals are haunting and the guitar work (courtesy of Black’s Les Paul) is a beautiful blend of melody and ferocity. Not to mention Ross on the keys, which then meld seamlessly from song to song as the night progressed. With both “Free” and “Up The Road” from the new EP serving as great additions to their catalogue, the band closed out the night with a new song called “Dancing 4 U”, a rollicking rock track that went all out and closed the show on a high.
When all was said and done, Thursday was a fantastic night at the Baby G. If you happen to be in Spain next month, do yourself a favour, find out where Lear Haven’s playing, and get your ass there pronto!!
5 psychedelic solos out of 5
Concert Photo Gallery (all photos by: Justin Michael Carriere)
Lear Haven Online
Show Date: March 26, 2026
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