Unforgettable Summer Nights at RBC Amphitheatre with Godsmack, Stone Temple Pilots and Dorothy

jaybroderick
10 minutes ago
7 min read

By: Jay Broderick

Toronto, Canada - A summer night at RBC Amphitheatre (formerly Budweiser Stage) hits different, especially when it’s the first LOUDTO "official summer" show of the year and the bill reads Godsmack, Stone Temple Pilots and Dorothy. Toronto’s waterfront may be a construction-riddled maze with parking that feels like a myth, but once you break through the chaos and step into that open-air bowl, it’s impossible not to love this venue. With the sun beating down, the fans are happy and there's a distinct buzz in the air. It’s home!

Dorothy

Los Angeles rockers Dorothy hit the stage first, and Toronto greeted them with a massive applause... the kind not typically shared for a support act. The band wasted zero time, kicking straight into their opener "Down to the Bottom", with a burst of energy that felt like a match dropped into gasoline. Absolute fire!

Guitarist Nick Perri was a machine, ripping solos, darting across the stage, feeding off the crowd. And Dorothy Martin’s vocals? Unreal! Powerful, clean, gritty when needed, and absolutely locked in. For a quick 35‑minute set, they made every second count.

A fantastic opening set that genuinely rocked hard and set the tone for the night.

Dorothy Photo Gallery (all photos by: Jay Broderick)

Stone Temple Pilots

I’ve seen Stone Temple Pilots a number of times, without legendary vocalist Scott Weiland and with him. But I never had the opportunity to photograph him. Nights like this make you reflect. It’s wild that he’s been gone for over a decade. It still stings. And selfishly, I'd love nothing more than to have snapped a few photos of the band's original singer.

STP's stage setup was stripped down. No glitz. No glam. Just the classic STP logo hanging behind them and four musicians ready to rock. And boy, did they deliver! Right out of the gate, the iconic opening lyrics "I AM SMELLIN' LIKE THE ROSE, THAT SOMEBODY GAVE ME ON MY BIRTHDAY DEATHBED"... vocalist Jeff Gutt was without the megaphone prop, but the opening verse of the band's track "Dead & Bloated" immediately whipped the fans into a frenzy.

The band rhymed off 3 fan favourites to kick their set off, and I thought "Damn... what a catalogue these guys have! This is just the opening 15 minutes, and already the opening cut, "Wicked Garden" and "Vaseline"? WHAT?? After "Vaseline", Gutt praised the raucous crowd, calling Toronto “the best crowd on the tour.” It wasn’t hard to see why. The majority of the amphitheatre was on its feet, from teens to parents to full families singing along.

Jeff Gutt performs live at RBC Amphitheatre. Photo By: Jay Broderick

And the band didn't stop there. They banged out hit after hit after hit. “Lounge Fly” had entire sections standing, dancing and singing. Gutt dedicated "Big Empty" to Scott Weiland, and "Plush" brought the eruption! The crowd sang the entire first verse without the singer, giving him a moment to look out into the sea of people in amazement. Goosebumps everywhere! Then the “STP! STP! STP!” chants rolled straight into “Interstate Love Song.”

For an hour, STP reminded Toronto why they remain one of the most important bands in alternative rock. The DeLeo brothers proved they're not ready to hang it up anytime soon. But with no disresepct in the least to Jeff Gutt, who is an absolutley perfect replacement, who has kicked ass with Stone Temple Pilots for a decade, man, I selfishly wanted to capture the once in a lifetime frontman Scott Weiland.

Stone Temple Pilots Photo Gallery (all photos by: Jay Broderick)

Godsmack

A year after losing both their longtime drummer Shannon Larkin and guitarist Tony Rombola to retirement, Godsmack returned to Toronto with something to prove, and something to celebrate. I first heard this band in 1998 when they released their second, self-titled album, and I've been a huge fan ever since. Yes, the band's sound has changed a little since their first few album's, becoming more polished, and mainstream friendly, but I never negatively viewed any band's growth (well, except maybe Celtic Frost). Godsmack still hits hard, and I'm excited to be catching them here for the first time.

AC/DC’s “For Those About to Rock” blasted through the amphitheatre and at the track's conclusion the curtain dropped. A lone drummer, some dude named Mike Mangini (I kid... because yes, this is THE Mike Mangini, ex of Dream Theatre), hammered out the intro before the rest of the band stormed the stage and launched into “When Legends Rise.” The stage was surprisingly bare. Like STP, no elaborate set pieces. It was just killer lighting, blasts of fog, and four dudes ready to tear the place apart. I love a good stage show, but man, there is something raw that just screams rock and roll when it's just the band, the lights, and the music.

Again, in similar fashion to STP, Godsmack smashed out one hit after another. Still in the photo pit for the band's 3rd track "Crying Like a Bitch”, I was giddy to hear a favourite song that actually helped get me through some difficult times in the 2010s. And what was better was that I was firing off shots of Sully Erna and crew. And the crowd was a complete ball of energy from the curtain drop. There were definitely no crying bitches at RBC on this night!

Sully Erna performs live in Toronto. Photo By: Jay Broderick

By the time I got to my seat for "Awake", the entire venue was standing. Yes, there were a tone of fans on their feet for STP, but for Godsmack, you were hard pressed to find anybody giving their feet a rest. And this is as it should be! It's a rock concert people! And trust this, the band wants you on your feet too. “Nice fucking job boys and girls!” the band's frontman screamed out in support of the energy being fed back tot he band. Then they simply rolled into "Surrender".

Then came the moment that made the night feel personal. Sully addressed the crowd saying “My heart sits right here in Toronto. Man, I love this place.” Yes, bands say this stuff at every show. But this was complete, genuine warmth as talked in detail about the city and what it means to him. And as Canadian's, this makes us proud as hell! He introduced the new lineup, drummer Mike Mangini, guitarist Sam Koltun (who he joked wears “kid-sized jackets”), and corrected bassist Robbie Merrill's pronunciation of “Toronto” like a true local. Just another reason why his love for this city is real.

While the band crushed though killer track after killer track, Erna did a fantastic job engaging with the audience, and really taking time to "chat". He shouted out the young fans in the audience, calling them “the future of rock and roll" and telling the parents they've done a great job. Say what you will, I find it is a much closer experience when the band actually takes the time to talk to the fans.

Robbie Merrill performs live in Toronto, Canada. Photo By: Jay Broderick

But of course, we're also here for the music. “Keep Away” hit like a time machine as the crowd belted the chorus while security escorted another drunken fan out of the venue. This was a recurring theme of the night somehow... not something I have taken specific notice of in past shows. “Love-Hate-Sex-Pain” blasted out with more stumbling fans, more chaos, more rock.

Then came the showstopper. Two drum kits rolled to the front of the stage. Sully sat behind one, Mangini behind the other. “Voodoo” pulsed through the venue, the crowd chanting every “Voooo-dooo” in unison. Then the lights dropped. Blue lasers shot across the amphitheatre. And the two drummers went to war for "Batalla de los Tambores". It was unlike anything I’ve ever seen... a percussive duel that morphed into snippets of “Back in Black”, “Walk This Way”, and “Enter Sandman”. Meanwhile, yet another fan was escorted out. Toronto was rowdy tonight.

Sam Koltun performs live at RBC Amphitheatre. Photo By: Jay Broderick

Then yet another moment of personal connection. During a break from “Whatever” Sully pulled random young fans from the crown to come up on stage with the band, declaring “Ladies and gentlemen, this is the future of rock and roll!” The kids jumped, headbanged, and lived out a moment they’ll never forget.

Encore

Sully returned alone, sitting behind a piano. After 75 minutes of pure adrenaline, he brought the entire amphitheatre down to a hush. He spoke about loss, mental health, and the importance of sharing our stories. He mentioned the band’s charity work and honored the musicians we’ve lost... Chris Cornell, Amy Winehouse, Neil Peart, and more. As he played “Under Your Scars,” the venue lit up with phone lights. A quiet, emotional moment in a night full of thunder.

They banged out 3 more songs including a cover of Joe Walsh's "Rocky Mountain Way", and the closer "I Stand Alone"... it was a perfect ending.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7SoHWoOrrQ

Set List

When Legends Rise

You and I

Cryin' Like a Bitch!!

Straight Out of Line

Awake

Surrender

Keep Away

Love-Hate-Sex-Pain

Voodoo