102.1 the Edge Secret Thing #4 Reveals Awolnation at Lee’s Palace

Big ticket music festivals may seem like the obvious choice for summer concerts, but Torontonicity was recently invited to check out 102.1 the Edge‘s Secret Thing #4 and treated to quite the show! If you’re not familiar with the alternative rock station’s Secret Thing event, it’s a contest where winning listeners are treated to a night of live music. The catch is that everyone attending doesn’t know who they’re going to see until right before the band plays. By right before, I mean five minutes before the band goes on.

And we got to see Awolnation! The band is currently on tour for their Here Come the Runts album, but partnered with Edge 102.1 for the intimate performance at the historic Lee’s Palace.

If you’re familiar with Awolnation’s first single Sail from 2011, than you know what sort of vocal power frontman Aaron Bruno possesses. He kept it hidden from audiences by releasing more pop-focused songs, and I have to be honest when I say that I wasn’t a fan during that time. Their sound has transformed since then and now includes more 70s and late 90s rock elements, which really made the crowd want to move, and instantly had me hooked! They played Seven Sticks of Dynamite, and I haven’t stopped listening to it since the show.

I also enjoyed watching the band get into the music and move like garage rock artists did!

I love that concerts like the Secret Thing series give bands and music lovers alike a chance to reconnect over the energy of a live performance. Past artists have included England’s Royal Blood at the Velvet Underground, and hometown favourite Billy Talent at the amazing Horseshoe Tavern!

Once the band left and the crowd spilled out on to Bloor Street, it was fun to hear total strangers connect over their shared experience. That’s really what makes the entire Secret Thing so amazing: a group of strangers are brought together by their love of music, buzzing before the show over who they suspect it might be, stirring up conversations with everyone around them, and then allow themselves to be taken on this musical ride. Make sure to listen to Edge 102.1 and be ready to jump into action when they announce their fifth installment of the Secret Things contest! I’m already pumped!