Although it was a Sunday night, that did not stop Toronto rock music fans from making their way down to The Danforth Music Hall for a night of live music. Eagerly lined up outside under the marquee on a beautiful March evening, keen fans were hoping to grab the perfect spot at the front of the stage for Mammoth, 10 Years and James And The Cold Gun.
Mammoth – 10 Years – James And The Cold Gun
Danforth Music Hall, Toronto – 8 March 2026
Words And Photography: Taylor Cameron
Closing out the night were none other than Wolfgang Van Halen’s Mammoth, the moment the crowd had been all waiting for. An eruption of cheers echoed throughout the venue as Van Halen and his band of uber-talented musicians took the stage.
One Of A Kind, the opening track from the band’s latest release, The End, started off the set strongly. Warm coloured lightning lit up the stage, and a giant screen hung in the background, graphics customised to each song played in tandem with the band.
Bringing a real arena rock feel to the show that took place in a theatre, Wolfgang knew how to make a small room feel big.
Playing a plethora of tracks from the new album that translated seamlessly to the live stage, the crowd sang along to every word. From The Spell and Happy, to Something New and I Really Wanna, the set was curated perfectly to keep the audience’s attention in their grasp.
From heavy moments that rattled the walls to soft moments that were emotional enough to raise goosebumps, a Mammoth show is one that is always worth catching.
Although being a musician himself, Wolfgang is known for being a huge music fan. Taking inspiration from Nine Inch Nails, Wolfie stepped over to the keyboard for a reworked intro to their track Stone, adding a fun sense of dimension to the music.
A crowd favourite of the night was Resolve, an acoustic-driven alternative ballad off Mammoth’s debut album. This is a track that the band has brought back into the set in the last year.
Keeping the mood tender, Distance followed, a song written in dedication to Wolfgang’s late-great father, Eddie Van Halen. Old home movies of the pair played on the screen behind him, evoking intense emotion from the crowd. I am sure there were not many dry eyes left in the room.
Take A Bow, which included the intro from Tool’s Right In Two, and I Really Wanna closed out the set on an incredible high, leaving the crowd hungry for more.
“Mammoth” was repeated like a chant throughout the audience, not ready for the show to end just yet.
Emerging from the darkness, the band stepped back onstage. “We did the thing,” Wolfgang laughed into the mic, “where we pretend it’s over, but you know it’s not because we didn’t play the song yet. It’s like peekaboo.”
Encoring with Don’t Back Down and The End, the band left everything on the stage. Wolfgang channelled his father with an incredible tapping intro and solo that had the crowd roaring in cheers during The End.
A perfect way to close out an incredible night of live music.
James And The Cold Gun
Kicking off the show were a band hailing from Wales, England, James And The Cold Gun. Setting the bar incredibly high for the night, they took the stage like a bat out of hell.
High energy oozed from the stage, the crowd hyped within minutes. With a vintage hard rock sound and a British punk rock attitude, all eyes were on them.
Gaining a plethora of new fans, including myself, although only playing for thirty minutes, they utilised every second, making the show their own without overpowering the headliner.
10 Years
Next up were Knoxville, Tennessee’s alternative Metal band, 10 Years. Bringing a different vibe to the show, with their heavy sound and edginess, 10 Years kept a tight grip on the audience’s attention.
Dirty bass lines, punchy guitar riffs and growling vocals filled the room, and the energy of the crowd shifted to match the bands. Heads banging and fists thrown high in the air, 10 Years kept the crowd on their toes and fully immersed in the music.
From their fan favourites Wasteland, Novacaine and Fix, to a cover of Nirvana’s Heart-Shaped Box, 10 Years’ grungy-alt sound brought diversity to the night that kept things fresh and interesting.
