Featuring Nick Earle & The Reckless Hearts, Matt Mays, The Beaches, and The Killers
Photo Credit: Tara Thompson
The final night of the Churchill Park Music Festival was one of my most anticipated nights. With a solid line-up of local, Canadian, and international artists, I knew it was sure to be a night to remember.
Starting off the night was local sensation, Nick Earle & The Reckless Hearts. I have seen them numerous times before, and they never disappoint. The band released their self-titled debut album in 2020. This album included tracks such as ‘Out of My Head’ and ‘Crosscut Saw’, exemplifying their raw talent and catchy rhythms. They found additional success with their album No More Hiding, complete with their single ‘Born to Lose. This is a must-see band, with a fresh surge of energy to rock ‘n’ roll, creative songwriting, and show-stopping guitar riffs. It will surely leave you wanting more.
Up next was Canadian indie rock singer-songwriter Matt Mays. Hailing from Nova Scotia, Matt Mays has had an impressive career, starting as a member of the Canadian country rock band The Guthries from 1998 to 2002. He went on to begin a solo career, earning him nominations for New Artist of the Year and Adult Alternative Album of the Year at the 2005 Juno Awards. Mays treated the audience with singles from this album, including ‘City of Lakes’. This was one of the first tracks I heard from Matt Mays, and I was excited to hear it as a part of this setlist.
Mays found success with Matt Mays and El Torpedo, with the band releasing a self-titled album in 2005. This album included the single ‘Cocaine Cowgirl’, which was a hit in the park, as anyone who is a fan of Matt Mays knew every single lyric to the song. ‘Cocaine Cowgirl’ went on to help win the band awards at the 2006 East Coast Music Awards. Mays also played ‘On the Hood’ from this album and invited Nick Earle out to play along. What a wonderful duo!
Mays continued to have success with singles such as ‘Tall Trees’, ‘Building a Boat’, and ‘Travellin’, all of which have found a rotation in his live shows. Fans are never disappointed at a Matt Mays set. I have seen many shows, right from his early days performing on the rock, and each set has been a solid example of some great music. The fans at the park were not disappointed as they sang along and wished for more at the end.
The Beaches took the stage after Matt Mays. Another great Canadian act that truly set the bar high for other performers. This Canadian rock band was formed in Toronto, Ontario, in 2009. The band released two EPs (The Beaches in 2013 and Heights in 2014) before being signed under Universal Records. Their debut album, Late Show, was released in 2017, which sent the band on the road to success, winning the 2018 Juno Award for Breakthrough Group of the Year. The Beaches released singles ‘Money’ and ‘T-Shirt’ from this album. ‘T-Shirt’ peaked at Number 1 on the Billboard Canada Rock chart and was certified Gold by Music Canada. Fans were excited to hear that ‘T-Shirt’ was still on their setlist.
The band went on to release two more EPs, The Professional in 2019 and Future Lovers in 2021. These EPs were released as a compilation in 2022 called Sisters Not Twins (The Professional Lovers Album). This album earned them the 2022 Juno Award for Rock Album of the Year. These albums included singles such as ‘Fascination’, ‘Snake Tongue’, ‘What What You Got’, ‘Let’s Go’, and ‘Blow Up’. Fans did not get to hear these live at the park, but they still deserve an honourable mention.
The Beaches released their second studio album, Blame My Ex, in 2023. They went on to win Group of the Year at the 2024 and 2025 Juno Awards. The first single, ‘Blame Brett’, went viral on TikTok, which led to the single being the band’s second number 1 on Billboard’s Canada Rock chart. Another single released from the album was ‘Jocelyn’. Other tracks from the album include ‘Everything is Boring’, ‘What Doesn’t Kill You Makes You Paranoid’, ‘Edge of the Earth,’ and ‘Takes One To Know One’. The band rocked these tracks at the park, showcasing their talent and keeping the audience hanging on to every beat.
Earlier this year, The Beaches released the single ‘Last Girls at the Party’ from their upcoming studio album, No Hard Feelings, set to be released later this month. Other tracks from this album include ‘Did I Say Too Much’ and ‘Touch Myself’ (which was played for the first time live during this set – what an amazing treat!). The set also featured a new song, ‘Fine, Let’s Get Married’, which is another new song by the band.
The Beaches are definitely a band that you need to see live at least once in your lifetime. Their shows are complete with high-energy. Their lyrics often include raw, emotionally honest lyrics that many fans can relate to. They definitely left the audience hyped for the last performance of the night.
The headliners of the night are considered one of the biggest rock bands of the 21st century. The Killers, an American rock band hailing from Las Vegas, Nevada, closed out the Churchill Park Music Festival, marking another memorable year.
The Killers were formed in 2001 and have released seven studio albums to date. They have sold more than 28 million records worldwide and have performed in over 50 countries and on six continents, headlining some of the biggest venues in the world. However, this festival was a first for them as it was their first time on the rock (and hopefully not their last).
The Killers have an impressive career to date. How many bands can say that the first song two of the members (Brandon Flowers and Dave Keuning) wrote together would be one of their most well-known songs? This hit, ‘Mr. Brightside’, and ‘Desperate’ were the first two songs they recorded for their demo. From this, they played free shows and handed out their demo wherever they could in the Las Vegas area.
The Killers released their debut album, Hot Fuss, in 2004. This album included hit singles ‘Somebody Told Me’ and ‘Smile Like You Mean It’, two tracks that often come to mind when someone thinks of The Killers. Both of these catchy tunes made it on the setlist for the night, which excited the crowd.
The Killers went on to release such tracks as ‘Human’ and ‘A Dustland Fairytale’. The Killers rocked these tracks at the show, finishing up with ‘When You Were Young’, before walking off the stage for their break before the encore. While waiting, the crowd chanted, asking for more. Granting their wish, the band came back to perform ‘The Man’ and ‘For Reasons Unknown’. During this track, they invited a guy named Steve from St. John’s to play drums. He wowed the audience as he kept up with the other members of the band. I am sure this is a night he will never forget.
The first album was also home to ‘All These Things That I’ve Done’, which is arguably one of The Killers’ most well-known songs. This song closed out the night, as the crowd sang along to every word and chanted for more as The Killers signed off for the night. This was the band’s first time on the rock, but hopefully it will not be their last.
What an amazing show, complete with the confetti canons during two different songs, surprising the audience. The stage was decorated with bold lights and vibrant visuals, complete with a giant K with yellow lights, reminiscent of the Welcome to Las Vegas sign. The band makes sure to encourage the audience to become a part of their show, as they sing along to many of the band’s hits. This is one night that fans will be talking about for years to come. I cannot wait to see what next year brings.