Of Monsters and Men make Toronto the final stop on their North American tour

They finally made it! Friday night’s rescheduled Of Monsters and Men show at Toronto’s east end venue, History, was a long time coming. The final stop on the Icelandic band’s North American leg of their Mouse Parade Tour was, ironically, meant to be their first. However, in an unfortunate, (or serendipitous?), turn of events, the band was forced to reschedule their show following their lead singer’s illness. This meant that they finished right where they started, in Toronto, the only Canadian stop on their tour. And, the sold-out crowd’s anticipatory buzz was palpable. 

Taking to the stage at the stroke of 9 PM, the seven-member group opened with the moody “Television Love,” also the first track off their latest album, All is Love and Pain in the Mouse Parade. Released in October, this LP is a beautiful blend of emotional love letters and melancholic, reflective verses that harken back to their previous albums. One feature that makes this band so distinct is the beautiful call and response dynamic between lead singers Nanna Bryndís Hilmarsdóttir and Ragnar “Raggi” Þórhallsson. Hilmarsdóttir provides a deep, rich sound, poetically contrasted by Þórhallsson’s crisp, melodic vocals. This dynamic was particularly evident in “Tuna in a Can”, along with the crowd-pleasing tune, “Little Talks”, one of the band’s most recognisable songs off their 2012 album, My Head is an Animal. Generally speaking, the evening’s setlist felt well balanced, with tracks off their latest album woven in with past hits, my personal favourite being the toe-tapping, borderline electro, “Alligator”.

Visually, the show was on-brand, featuring a monochromatic set and soft lighting that complemented the band’s signature earthy style. Perhaps in part because of the group’s sheer size, the concert, at times, felt orchestral, with multiple instruments being integrated, including an airy melodica. Gentle, swaying dance moves, courtesy of Hilmarsdóttir, plus an impromptu on-stage song circle, further reinforced this grounded energy that seemed to unite not only the band’s members, but also the entranced crowd. It’s worth noting, also, the number of parents/guardians with teenage-ish kids, which was really endearing and full circle to witness.

There’s an indescribable magic about this band that feels both inviting and familiar. Maybe it’s the idea of them pulling from their Icelandic roots to create place-based, dreamy music à la Sigur Rós, or their lengthy discography that delivers a bit of nostalgia. Regardless, throughout the night, this atmospheric energy remained steady, and filled with moments of genuine connection built through both anecdotes and song. For instance, the band played “From Finner”, a 2012 track that Hilmarsdóttir explained was written on the coast of Iceland in a basement as an ode to being away from home for the first time as soon-to-be globally recognised musicians. Later, Þórhallsson introduced “Styrofoam Cathedral” as his favourite song off their new album, and at another point, Hilmarsdóttir shared that her brother, also a musician, lives in Canada and was set to make an on-stage appearance before the rescheduled date. The band lets you in a bit, and this access builds rapport. 

As the show came to an end, and we moved into the inevitable encore, the band returned to the stage with two final songs, “Love Love Love,” and my personal favourite off their newest LP, “Fruit Bat”. As the crowd expressed their disappointment at the show wrapping up, Hilmarsdóttir comforted us by saying, “I know, but don’t worry – this song is really long”. And it was the perfectly long, perfectly poetic ode to a beautiful show and their long-awaited Canadian stop.