Mercedes-Benz Garage Gigs: The Strumbellas

Mercedes-Benz Garage Gigs: The Strumbellas

What: A private, 1 hour set by The Strumbellas
When: Monday, July 15 @ 6:00 PM doors open
Where: 146 Ossington Avenue, Toronto

 

I love music and I love cars. Mercedes-Benz have always been determined to deliver a quality experience, and their live music events share this goal. Mercedes wanted to bring together their love of the garage with emerging Canadian artists in a series of exclusive shows. The latest concert: The Strumbellas. 

The Strumbellas live at the Mercedes-Benz Garage. Photography by Michael Blaskivich
Photography by Michael Blaskivich

My invitation brought me to a converted mechanic’s garage on Toronto’s trendy and developing Ossington Avenue. The event space, used for pop-up stores and special events, was equally suited to host Mercedes-Benz in its former life. Tonight’s event, however, was more focused on the music than the cars. Everyone was in great spirits and seemed to be mingling about in the front lot of the venue where drinks and catering were found. Custom wood-fired pizza and a full cocktail bar were also added treats. Mercedes went the extra mile as a wonderful host by providing all of their guests with complimentary rides through Uber. Quite a nice touch. 

Photography by Michael Blaskivich

The guests began to congregate towards the stage as the day’s light began to fade and shadows grew taller. The garage space went from an empty room to a crowded concert event in what seemed like a matter of a few minutes. The band entered from stage left and immediately — without any banter — launched right into their set. Starting off the night, their hit single, “We Don’t Know” kicked off the night. The crowd was really into it and the familiar song engaged the audience to grab everyone’s attention. This was followed with crowd-pleasers such as “In This Life,” the upbeat song “Salvation,” and the rhythmic “Running Scared.” The band had only an hour set and yet they were able to belt out 9 songs in quick succession. They wrapped up this presentation with another strong single, “Spirits,” that has been tremendously popular on Canadian radio. I was rather impressed with the band’s stage presence and the way in which they won over the crowd in such short order. I would recommend seeing this band for a fun show. Their set list is very accessible to new fans with their songs gaining considerable air time on radio. 

Photography by Michael Blaskivich

I feel that Mercedes-Benz Canada is doing a great thing in partnering with Canadian indie bands. The idea that both Mercedes and rock bands share common ground through the garage is a great jumping off point for the automaker to showcase emerging talent and engage with local artists and fans. 

To find out more about Mercedes-Benz Garage Gigs, check out their YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/MercedesBenzCanada

To discover The Strumbellas’ latest tour: The Rattlesnake Canadian Tour, check their website: http://thestrumbellas.ca/

 

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