LIVE: SILVERSTEIN – Winnipeg, MB, CAN – November 23, 2025
Venue: Burton Cummings Theatre
City: Winnipeg, MB, Canada
Date: November 23, 2025
Review and Photographs by: Alejandro Penner (https://www.alejandropenner.ca/)
Today was a special day. As I approached the Burton Cummings Theatre, I couldn’t help but drift back to my teenage years—the rise of post-hardcore and emo music, and the one band that stood out above the rest. A band from my birthplace, Burlington, Ontario. Of course, I’m talking about Silverstein. Silverstein is a band I latched onto the moment their debut When Broken Is Easily Fixed dropped in 2003. I followed them religiously up until A Shipwreck in the Sand, and then—like many of us do—I drifted away for a bit. But in 2017, when they released Dead Reflection, I found myself pulled right back in, especially by the track “Afterglow.” Now, nearly a decade later, here I am writing this and reconnecting with a band that helped shape some of the most emotional years of my life. Tonight was guaranteed to be a whirlwind of hardcore and emo nostalgia, with Silverstein bringing some incredible friends along for their 25 Years of Noise Tour. Bloom opened the night—coming all the way from Australia—and absolutely shocked the room with how hard they came out of the gate. The perfect way to get the crowd locked in and buzzing. Next up was Free Throw from Nashville, Tennessee, a Midwest-emo band that the crowd clearly adored. Fans were singing along to every hook, and the energy just kept climbing. The third act, Thursday, are veterans—at it since 1997—and they delivered a set that felt both legendary and urgent. With Alexisonfire’s Wade McNeil filling in on guitar, they were the perfect band to accompany Silverstein on this run.
Then came the moment we were all waiting for. Silverstein took the stage, framed by two ~3-foot platforms on each side and a ~5-foot drum riser—all fitted with LED panel fronts displaying visuals throughout the set. Two additional screens sat farther back, completing a clean and modern stage design. As the lights dimmed, a video played—presumably narrated by Shane Told—reflecting on the band’s beginnings, their growth, their journey, and ending with a heartfelt thank-you to every fan who ever showed up. They kicked off with “Negative Space” from their newest album Pink Moon—an explosive opener that set the tone immediately. From there, the show transformed into something like a time machine. As Shane mentioned partway through the night, Silverstein had crafted a setlist that included at least one track from every record across their 25-year career, moving backwards chronologically from the newest releases to the earliest. After “Drain the Blood” and “Stress,” we moved into “The Altar/Mary,” “Infinite,” “Bad Habits,” “The Afterglow,” and deeper into the catalogue—each song unlocking a different era and a different version of myself. They even included “You Gotta Stay Positive” from Short Songs—all five seconds of it—and because it’s so quick, they played it twice, just to make sure no one blinked and missed it. It was hilarious and perfectly in character for the band. Somewhere around this point, I suddenly felt like I was 16 again—teenage angst and all—as the set entered the A Shipwreck in the Sand era with “Vices” and “The End.” From there, we dipped briefly into Arrivals & Departures with “Worlds Apart”—I admit I was hoping for more, but with a catalogue this deep, sacrifices have to be made. Then came the heavy hitters from Discovering the Waterfront: “Your Sword Versus My Dagger,” “Already Dead,” “Smile in Your Sleep” (which hit hard emotionally), and “My Heroine,” – Acoustic version- which opened the encore. Not a single person in the room stayed silent, everyone helped Shane sing, and it created an incredibly intimate moment inside the theatre. “Smashed Into Pieces” and “Bleed No More” closed out the night—two absolute emo essentials.
To wrap it all up: Silverstein sound better than ever. Energetic yet precise, emotionally charged yet razor tight. Their interaction with the crowd felt raw, intentional, and deeply personal. Shane’s vocals—from soaring cleans to throat-tearing screams—filled the theatre and gave me goosebumps. Paul Marc Rousseau and Josh Bradford wove between melodic leads and crushing riffs, while the rhythm section—the engine of their sound—kept everything grounded and powerful. Billy Hamilton’s bass and Paul Koehler’s drumming locked in perfectly, creating a foundation strong enough to carry both nostalgia and intensity without ever losing momentum. All in all, it was a blast from the past. For one night, we were all angsty teenagers again, shouting our favourite lyrics and remembering exactly why this band mattered so much. Thank you, Silverstein, for 25 years of noise and for being one of the bands that got so many of us through some of the best—and hardest—years of our lives. If they’re coming anywhere near your city, don’t miss it. New fans will love it. Old-school fans like me? Well… the nostalgia just hits a little harder—and in the best way possible.
Setlist: Negative Space – Drain the Blood – Stress – The Altar – Infinite – Bad Habits – The Afterglow – Je me souviens – Massachusetts – You Gotta Stay Positive – The Artist – Vices – The End – Worlds Apart – Your Sword Versus My Dagger – Already Dead – Smile in Your Sleep – My Heroine – Smashed Into Pieces – Bleeds No More
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Category: Live Reviews, Photo Galleries
About the Author (Author Profile)
ToddStar - that's me... just a rocking accountant who had dreams of being a rock star. I get to do the next best thing to rocking the globe - I get to take pictures of the lucky ones that do. I love to shoot all genres of music and different types of performers. If it is related to music, I love to photograph it. I get to shoot and hang with not only some of my friends and idols, but some of the coolest people around today.Subscribe
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