Billy Talent Take a Break From Arenas to Play Tiny Toronto Club

Sheer madness was expected when it was announced that one of Canada's biggest rock bands, Billy Talent, would be playing a free show at the tiny, venerable Toronto institution, the Horseshoe Tavern, Tuesday night -- especially since only three months ago the band headlined a sold-out show at the Air Canada Centre sports arena just down the street.

While there was no line outside the bar -- presumably because many of their fans are underage or figured it would be impossible to get in -- inside it was a jam-packed sauna, as fans bunched up close to the stage and were stage-diving from the very first song.

"This is where we grew up, on this stage," frontman Ben Kowalewicz said three songs in. "And this is where we'll f---in' die."

An intense band that gives it all whether for a few hundred faithful at the 'Shoe or tens of thousands at a European festival, Kowalewicz, guitarist Ian D'Sa, bassist Jon Gallant and drummer Aaron Solowoniuk ripped into songs from all three of their self-titled numbered albums: from earlier hits 'Try Honesty' and 'The Ex' through 'Fallen Leaves,' 'Surrender' and 'Devil In A Midnight Mass' to the more current hits 'Rusted From The Rain' and 'Saint Veronika.' Goldfinger drummer (and local radio personality) Darrin Pfeiffer even turn a turn behind the kit for 'The Ex.'

"We've played every f---in' club a million times and were told we weren't gonna make it by everyone. I was told my voice was awful and weird," said Kowalewicz, thanking the fans for the support that proved those people wrong.

The last-minute club show was not only a warm-up for Billy Talent's upcoming European tour, but to celebrate 17 years together as a band (they started under the name Pezz) and 17 years since Dave Bookman and local promoter/booker Yvonne Matsell started the freebie Tuesday night showcase that has hosted everyone from the Foo Fighters to the Strokes and hundreds of up-and-coming Canadian bands. Bookman is a DJ on Toronto radio station 102.1 The Edge, where Kowalewicz worked before Billy Talent landed a major record deal.