The snow is finally melting, the birds are returning home from their winter vacations, I am finally coming out of hibernation, and punk shows are kicking into high gear. After months of barely being able to get out of the house, the first show of the year always feels like coming back to life. The lights are brighter, the sound is more vibrant, and all of that pent-up winter energy begins to be released. Needless to say, I’d been looking forward to going to this show for weeks. On March 13, 2025, I headed to Toronto to see Thunder Queens at the Velvet Underground.
The excitement kept building the closer I got to the city and it felt like the car had barely rolled to a stop before I was out and heading toward the venue. It was my first time at the Velvet Underground and I instantly felt at ease. Everything was well spaced out, the staff were friendly, and the room was glowing with purply lights. After zipping around like a cat with the zoomies, I found my spot and waited for the show to begin. It didn’t take long for people to file in and soon it was time for Chinese Medicine to hit the stage.
The Toronto-based quartet got up on stage and launched into their first song, wasting no time enveloping the crowd in their sonic tornado of garage and new wave-flavoured post-punk. Following the first song, frontwoman Juno told us the rules of being at a Chinese Medicine show which amounted to dance and dance some more. Those were extremely easy rules to follow and I found myself banging my head, stomping my feet, and letting the music move me in record time. The band’s energy grew as they tore through a mix of songs from their 2022 debut EP Die Aspora (including “Exploding Dogs” and “Perception In Black”) and new tracks from their upcoming record.
Juno introduced “The Trans Agenda” by asking who in the crowd was queer and who was trans. She was met with cheers and set down her guitar to focus solely on the vocals for that song. She moved around the stage, dancing with each of her bandmates, before heading to the very front of the stage and singing into the front row of the crowd. “Gospel” had some of the strongest audience participation of the night as Juno led the crowd in yelling “Hallelujah” at different points during the song. Near the end of their set, guitarist Andrew jumped into the crowd and without missing a note, headed over to plant a kiss on a friend’s cheek before making it back up on stage. I was shocked when the band announced that they only had a handful of songs left because it felt like they’d started only seconds before. Chinese Medicine’s set was filled with a considerable amount of catharsis, fun, and heart. I can’t wait to hear more from them.
After a quick changeover, it was time for London, Ontario’s Thunder Queens to take to the stage. The punk rock power trio started their set off with a bang by launching into the high-energy track “Breakout” which immediately had people dancing. I was standing near the front of the stage and I could feel every drumbeat and every note move through my body like a heartbeat, which only intensified during their set. Drummer Lola introduced the next song, the doom-infused “Blood Moon”, by wondering if the band had brought out that night’s blood moon or if it was purely coincidental before leading the crowd in clapping along to the beat. The music flowed through the room and filled the air with an undeniable electric energy. Like moths to a flame, the crowd was drawn closer to the stage as Thunder Queens rocked the house.
The band plays so well together, it’s as if they have telepathic powers. Each member shines through from Lola’s incredible drumming to Violet’s killer riffs to Clara’s deep basslines. When they join forces for their signature vocal melodies, it is next level. Their voices are filled with so much power and work spectacularly together. These harmonies were on full display as the band tore through several tracks from their 2024 album Strike One including “All These Problems”, “Bulldozer”, and “Fighter”. “Fighter” had me singing “I fight, I fight, I fight” at the top of my lungs.
They started their cover of The Breeders’ classic “Cannonball” by asking the crowd to sing along and sing along we did. The cover was bursting with energy and you could tell that everyone was having a ton of fun. They built on that momentum as they headed into “Roadtrip” followed by an extended version of “Dead-End Friend”. The song started with its usual grunge-y groove before the band brought in some more heaviness to slow it down and then brought it back up to double speed. It was an absolute masterclass in dynamics. The next song, "Stereo Cat", was introduced as the first song they ever wrote when they formed in 2019 and it absolutely rocked. Thunder Queens closed out their set with a new song and it fucking rocked. I didn’t catch the name but I can’t wait until it’s out in the world. Their set was full of pure joy and punk energy. There is no question in my mind that Thunder Queens are a band poised for world domination.
After another very quick changeover, Montreal-based Family Man took to the stage. They immediately swept the crowd up into their vortex of gloriously chaotic post-punk complete with three guitars kicking out crunchy riffs, incredible drumming, sick basslines, and extremely dynamic vocals. To say that everyone in the band was giving their all would be a vast understatement. Every member of the band was moving around the stage as if propelled by the music they were making whether they were dancing, thrashing, or even jumping into the crowd (especially guitarist Nicolas who jumped in several times over the course of their set). The room pulsated with people dancing as the crowd returned this energy and then some. A very active pit opened up and continued to gain steam as the set went on.
Family Man played songs off their 2024 album ICONOCLAST including “Tar Lungs”, “Golden”, “Tomatoes” (“Speaking of toes, I sliced the top of my big one off last night. Thanks Toronto” - Conner, lead vocalist and guitarist), “Conviction”, and “OTAN”. They also played a great cover of “Too Many Puppies” by Primus (bassist Josh added some vocals to this song) and “Wayside” off their 2022 EP What’s New. The band ended the night with “Father John” and blew the fucking roof off the place. The magnetic pull of the band was on full display as they exploded into a flurry of movement. Conner set down his guitar, moved between the floor and the stage, and slid down a wall several times all without missing a note. The band joined in on some "Que sera"s and it was one of the most cathartic moments of the night. Words cannot do Family Man justice, as soon as you possibly can, go see them live.
From start to finish I loved every part of this show. Each band brought their A-game and you could not ask for a better lineup. I am counting down the days when I’ll be able to see Thunder Queens, Chinese Medicine, and Family Man live again. I hope to see you there. All hail the Thunder Queens.