The Biltmore Burns Bright — The Anti‑Queens’ Road to Pouzza Hits Hard

jaybroderick
May 16
5 min read

By: Jay Broderick

Oshawa, Ontario - The Biltmore Theatre is one of those venues that reminds me why I love covering shows close to home. Award‑winning, intimate, and only minutes away... which matters when you’re staring down a four‑band bill with an 8:00 p.m. start and a 5:30 a.m. wake‑up looming. Tonight’s all‑ages crowd is small but young, buzzing, and ready for a long night as The Anti‑Queens bring The Road to Pouzza Tour to Oshawa.

The Crease Rule

Local Toronto punk mercenaries The Crease Rule weren’t originally on the bill, but the five‑piece wasted no time proving they belonged. They kicked things off with “3 Way Stop” from their 2020 debut EP, immediately pulling bodies toward the stage as the room steadily filled in.

With a handful of EPs and singles behind them, plus their first full‑length Acceptable Rot released in January 2025, the band moved confidently through their set. Their late‑90s alt‑rock edge came through strongest on “Acockalypse Man,” a track that felt straight out of the Third Eye Blind era. Their newest single “Northern Siege,” released just days ago on May 8, hit with even more weight live.

Frontman Kyle Hohmann was all gratitude, calling this the best bill they’ve ever played at The Biltmore. Fans danced nonstop, and at one point he shouted to a girl up front, “I like your tattoos!” before dedicating “Lifetime Chondriac” to friends he doesn’t see as often as he’d like. By the end of their nine‑song run, The Crease Rule had the whole room dancing... a strong, unexpected opener that set the tone for the night.

The Crease Rule Photo Gallery (all photos by: Jay Broderick)

The Iron Roses

The Iron Roses brought a completely different energy... communal, and emotionally charged. Vocalists Natasha Gray and Becky Fontaine began their set on the floor, weaving through the crowd during a folk‑leaning rendition of “Dead Nazi,” clapping and pulling everyone into their orbit before the band detonated into full punk mode with “Old Guard.” The East Coast, queer femme‑fronted group hopped, bounced, and slammed across the stage with joyful chaos. Drummer Devon Hunt spun sticks with precision and fury, anchoring the whirlwind.

Natasha welcomed the crowd after the third track, urging everyone closer before introducing “Class War.” Moments later, Becky took to the floor again during “Dead Eyes,” calling for all the queers in the room to raise their hands. She spoke candidly about how messed up the world feels and asked everyone to gather tightly around her. The entire venue formed a massive group hug, holding hands before letting out a cathartic scream... twice. A wonderful, feel good release!

Their set never slowed. Fast tempos, unity, and vulnerability defined every moment. Before the final track, Natasha addressed the room with sincerity: “Music is a unifying force… it’s why we’re here. Three years ago I came out as a transgender woman. I can come to a venue like this and just fucking relax, and it feels great. We’re here because music has kept us alive. THANK YOU FOR CELEBRATING THAT!”

The band launched into “Screaming for a Change,” with both singers kneeling on the floor as the crowd joined them. Another set, another room full of dancing. Natasha stayed afterward to hug fans one by one.

The Iron Roses Photo Gallery (all photos by: Jay Broderick)

MakeWar

Brooklyn’s MakeWar took the night’s energy and sharpened it with a cleaner, more polished skate‑punk punch. From the opening notes of “Sails,” the band was in constant motion, back to front, side to side, jumping, spinning, feeding off the crowd.

Before the fourth track, frontman Jose Prieto finally addressed the room, sharing that this was their second time in Oshawa. The last time, at The Atria next door, someone walked up and punched him square in the chest and said, “Great show!” He laughed: “Welcome to Oshawa!” After “Squeeze,” Prieto noted it was only the second time they’d ever played it live. “We’re not going to talk that much ’cause we only have 30 minutes,” he added before tearing into “P.A.N.” A small, friendly mosh pit opened up... nothing too wild, but enough to say "We're here and having a blast!"

MakeWar aren't the heaviest band, but they hit harder than the first two acts, both musically and physically. “Skate” offered a brief 9 second breather, before the band launched into “Tell Me,” sending fans rushing to the stage, shouting every word. Before their closer, Prieto summed up the night: “This has been a really fun little run with The Anti‑Queens and Iron Roses… thanks a lot, Oshawa!”

MakeWar didn’t wage war on Oshawa, but they definitely left some wreckage behind.

MakeWar Photo Gallery (all photos by: Jay Broderick)

The Anti‑Queens

The lights dimmed as Anita Ward’s “Ring My Bell” echoed through the room. The Anti‑Queens stood with their backs to the crowd, barely lit by thin beams of light. A quick restart was needed thanks to a stubborn drum monitor, but once resolved, the band exploded into “Mean Genes", and frontwoman Emily Bones immediately commanded the room... raspy, smoke‑soaked vocals, fists in the air, and a presence that hit like a jolt. I was smitten from the first “HEY! HEY! HEY!”

Bones dedicated the next track, “Miss Scarlett,” to “all the women who are on their period… like me,” setting the tone for a set filled with humor, honesty, and relentless punk energy.

A snippet of Donald Trump’s infamous “They’re eating the dogs, they’re eating the cats” line played before “Saviour,” prompting Bones to yell, “Fuck Donald Trump!” Guitarist Valerie Knox, bassist Michael Crusty, and drummer Tommy Metcalf locked in behind her as the crowd erupted, dancing, singing, headbanging, fist‑pumping. Even this old dude (yours truly) couldn’t help but nod along to the hooks and grit.

The Anti-Queens perform live at The Biltmore Theatre. Photo By: Jay Broderick

At one point, Crusty pointed out that the entire crowd had gathered on the side of the stage where Emily and Valerie stood. “Isn’t it odd that everybody is on one side and there’s a big space in front of me?” Valerie shot back: “Uhhhh, isn’t it obvious?” For the record, I was also on the heavily weighted side.

The band peppered the set with movie snippets, including Monty Python’s Meaning of Life, before ripping into a killer cover of Nirvana’s “Breed.” Emily stepped to the front of the stage, head down, shredding the solo as the crowd stared up in awe.

They joked, they shared stories, they dedicated songs, but they never let up. With a triumphant closer in “Read My Mind”, I couldn't understand the smaller crowd. The Anti-Queens are a force, and man, what a set! The Anti‑Queens have the songs, the musicianship, the charisma, and the voices... did I mention the voices?... to command a room twice this size.