By: Michael Drukarsh
Toronto, Ontario - The indie music scene is alive and well and doing amazing things in Toronto. Last night, a wonderful community of musicians, friends, family and fans gathered together for the first ever international HeartSupport event, a not for profit foundation set to help raise awareness for mental health through live music. Taylor Simpson, a mental health and suicide awareness advocate not only organized but also headlined the event with his band Wishwell.
DAPHNE
The night’s festivities started with DAPHNE, a Toronto indie-pop singer who made sure the audience remembered her name, after all it’s not Daphne (with lowercase letters) it’s (SHOUT IT WITH ME) DAPHNE! A fun set mixed with pop and rock, DAPHNE never stopped moving and neither did the fans crowded in the Collective Arts Taproom’s cozy venue. A highlight of the set came when DAPHNE brought out her guitar Stevie (I’m not sure if that should be in capitals or not) and showcased her musical talents alongside her great voice.
Lady Marge
Next up, Lady Marge. A total 180 from DAPHNE’s set, Lady Marge brought a sound that filled the room with good ol’ fashioned rock and roll. Lead singer and guitarist Parker Merlihan looks far too young to carry that soulful voice. He showed his age though during an amazing cover of "Tennessee Whiskey" by Chris Stapleton when he admitted his mom, who was in the audience, gave him the lyrics after he mixed up a verse. The rest of the band were just as talented and delivered a set that had the fans rock’n the dancefloor. A perfect example of how the indie community is so tight was demonstrated when I noticed that Lady Marge’s guitarist, Sam “Pookie” Grant, was up on stage earlier with DAPHNE helping out.
Nicole Haber
The Taproom was then hit with a ball of fire! Nicole Haber stormed the stage and quickly whipped the crowd into a frenzy! Their on stage energy was electric and despite confessing to battling a four day cold, there really was no evidence of a sore throat as they told the crowd there was no way they would miss such an amazing show for a cause that is very near and dear to their heart. Haber brought organizer Simpson up on stage to join the fun for a song, showing once again how tight this scene really is. With an incredible set that also featured a medley of Haber’s favorite tunes, there is no doubt that this pop/punk singer/songwriter is going to continue to blow up the music world.
Wishwell
Headliners Wishwell took to the stage just before 11pm. The crowd, who was still buzzing from Nicole Haber, were brought right back to high energy as Simpson and the rest of the band kicked things into high gear. Delivering messages of hope and spreading awareness for mental health and suicide prevention with hard driving music and lyrics, there is no doubt of the band’s commit to both. What was also evident was the amount of appreciation Simpson had for those who came out to support such an important cause.
This was a night spotlighting the importance of mental health as well as indie music. Both were showcased brilliantly as bands and fans mixed and mingled sharing stories and finding comfort, love, and community.
Concert Photo Gallery
HeartSupport Online
Show Date: November 23, 2024
Comments