Skip to content
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Derek
    • Gary
    • Halley/Celeste
    • Paul
    • Ricky
    • Vik
  • Concerts
  • Reviews
    • Albums
    • Venue
    • Movies
    • Year End Reviews
  • Festivals
    • Canadian Music Week
    • Hot Docs
    • North By Northeast
    • Planet in Focus
    • Primavera
    • South By Southwest
  • Contact Us
Menu
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Derek
    • Gary
    • Halley/Celeste
    • Paul
    • Ricky
    • Vik
  • Concerts
  • Reviews
    • Albums
    • Venue
    • Movies
    • Year End Reviews
  • Festivals
    • Canadian Music Week
    • Hot Docs
    • North By Northeast
    • Planet in Focus
    • Primavera
    • South By Southwest
  • Contact Us

Concert Review: Maruja, September 27, Phoenix Concert Theatre

Posted on
29 Sep 2025
by
Paul

This past March, during SXSW, I saw Maruja twice. Well, sort of. On each occasion, I walked in just at the tail end of their set, only catching a few minutes the first time around and maybe a couple of songs at the second show. But even with just a brief glimpse of the band, the power and intensity of their performance shone through. In concert, Maruja are a formidable force. 

Now, months later, with the band back on tour in North America again (and in a significantly larger venue this time around after selling out The Garrison the last time they played Toronto) I was determined to finally get the full Maruja experience, taking in their Saturday night set at the Phoenix Concert Theatre alongside Kingdom of Birds. They did not disappoint.

Drawing from a wide range of influences, Maruja offers up a heady sonic brew with a sound that brings together the attitude and intensity of Idles, the fury of Rage Against The Machine and heavy jazz/psych vibes of The Comet is Coming. Touring behind their debut full-length Pain to Power, the Manchester four-piece put on a passionate performance that saw them running through heavy numbers like “Break the Tension” and “Look Down on Us” alongside mellower, more contemplative fare such as “Saoirse,” with its refrain of “It’s our differences that make us beautiful” helping to drive home the band’s core message.

“We may seem aggressive, but our message is one of peace and solidarity,” said singer/guitarist Harry Wilkinson towards the end of their set before asking the audience to join him and the band “in raising a fist for solidarity. And for love!”

The crowd, of course, complied and as we all stood there in silence, fists raised, I reflected back on another show just over a year before this one, when Idles played for a packed house at Coca Cola Coliseum. In my review of that show, I commented on the band’s “aggressive yet joyful and positive energy.” It’s an energy that’s also present in Maruja and one that made for a memorable and cathartic performance.

PrevPreviousTIFF Review: Under the Same Sun (Ulises Porra, 2025)
NextConcert Review: Dark Angel, Hirax, September 28, Phoenix Concert TheatreNext

SEARCH

FOLLOW US

Facebook Twitter Flickr Foursquare Rss Inbox

THE PAST

Archives

TAGS

Tags
British Music Embassy (10) Canadian Music Fest (11) canadian music week (20) cmf (10) cmw (42) concert (9) el mocambo (9) fringe (26) Great Lake Swimmers (10) guelph (9) horseshoe tavern (23) hot docs (103) jazz (12) Joel Plaskett (10) jukebox the ghost (15) lee's palace (27) marina and the diamonds (10) Massive Attack (10) mod club (12) NXNE (94) of monsters and men (11) Phoenix (15) play reviews (11) Pulp (11) Roskilde Festival (17) rural alberta advantage (10) sharon van etten (10) suede (13) summerworks (34) SXSW (479) SXSW 2022 (11) SXSW 2024 (11) SXSW Online (18) the antlers (11) the cure (10) the national (10) the xx (11) Tokyo Police Club (9) Toronto (25) toronto fringe (14) Toronto Jazz Festival (55) turf (13) tweeview (10) Video (9) zeus (10)
The Panic Manual

We are a collective of individuals bringing you the latest in concert reviews, indie, britpop, Canadian, twee and all sorts of other music, movies, tv and everything else you like. Follow the manual to live a pleasant and fulfilling life.

All rights reserved