Our Lady Peace, Collective Soul & Greylin James Rue
July 24, 2025
Budweiser Stage, Toronto, ON
As storms loomed over Toronto, the 30th anniversary celebration for Our Lady Peace at Budweiser Stage was forced to pivot—but not even severe weather could dampen the energy.
Opening act Greylin James Rue took to the stage early, completing a shortened set before most fans had arrived due to her unexpectedly early start time.
Nova Scotia’s Wintersleep followed suit, delivering a condensed performance that still included fan favourites “Weighty Ghost” and “Amerika.”
With weather warnings growing more urgent, Collective Soul continued the trend of early sets. Frontman Ed Roland made a glittering entrance—bare-chested under a black sequined floral suit—bringing high energy and flair to the abbreviated set. Celebrating more than 30 years as a band, they played a selection of hits and touched on their 2024 album Here to Eternity. But despite their efforts to stay ahead of the storm, nature had other plans.
After Collective Soul’s performance, the event came to a halt due to a severe weather alert. Concertgoers were advised to shelter in place or exit the venue amid high winds, lightning, and torrential rain. While some assumed the show was over and left, the majority waited it out—eventually rewarded when the skies cleared and the stage lights returned.
Our Lady Peace finally emerged, determined to make the wait worthwhile—and they did. Playing a career-spanning set packed with fan favourites and deep cuts, many of which hadn’t appeared in live shows for over 15 years, OLP reminded Toronto exactly why they’ve remained a staple of Canadian rock for three decades.
True to their poetic roots—OLP took their name from a Mark Van Doren poem—frontman Raine Maida shared his oft-told story of being inspired by Gord Downie at a Tragically Hip concert in his youth. That influence came full circle during a powerful crowd-led tribute to The Hip, with fans raising their lights and voices to Locked in the Trunk of a Car.
Surprises were plentiful: Wintersleep’s Paul Murphy returned to the stage for a guest appearance, and in a charming moment of spontaneity, Maida swapped wristbands with a fan—exchanging his for a maple leaf sweatband.
The set also showcased OLP’s ongoing evolution, with the debut of new material including “I Wanna Be Your Drug” and a reimagined version of “Whatever,” originally written as a theme for wrestler Chris Benoit. After the tragic murder-suicide involving Benoit in 2007, the band retired the song from live shows. Now, 23 years after its release, the updated version—released on July 24, the night of the concert—features revised lyrics aimed at raising awareness around mental health and suicide prevention. All streaming proceeds will be donated to related initiatives across North America.
OLP closed the night on a high, with “Clumsy” leading into a raucous encore chant of “O-L-P! O-L-P!” before Maida reappeared—this time at a piano in the 300-level—for an intimate performance of “Not Enough.” He was soon joined by his wife, Chantal Kreviazuk, for the intro to 4 A.M., before returning to the main stage with the full band to finish the emotional encore.
Despite the storm-related chaos, the show delivered a night to remember—one of resilience, nostalgia, and connection.
And on a personal note, it was a meaningful milestone for this author and photographer: the chance to capture the performance of the artist that inspired the name of my youngest child.
