Beartooth rocked the Elysée Montmartre and proved they haven’t lost any of their spark!
What better way to kick off October than by going to a concert? And even better… a Beartooth concert? For the album Pure Ecstasy? At the Elysée Montmartre? We were there, and here’s our report.
Doors opened at 6:30 p.m., but fans had already shown up a little earlier, ready to fight for the front row (or the first beer). Surprisingly, the concert wasn’t sold out, but I think that just means there’s a rematch coming. At 7:00 p.m., the lights dimmed and a hush fell over the small crowd already gathered at the barriers.
The first band of the night took the stage, shattering the silence like a storm sweeping everything in its path. Kingdom Of Giants came to get the crowd jumping and screaming, make them headbang until their necks snapped, and turn the legendary Elysée Montmartre on its head.
Starting with the second song, Dana Willax, the band’s lead singer, called for a circle pit. And even though it was small, it was definitely there! Some moshers even started going wild as early as the third song. Even if you weren’t familiar with Kingdom Of Giants, you couldn’t help but get into it ; their energy was just too contagious.
They played some of their hits, but most importantly, they performed Reign, from the album Usurper, which is set to be released on November 13 via SharpTone Records. The Americans made sure to thank the headliner for inviting them on this European tour and to thank the audience for their warm welcome.
After half an hour that went by far too quickly, the band took their leave, expressing their gratitude one last time to the fans who were now won over.
A 30-minute intermission, then we moved on to a different vibe - but one just as intense. While Kingdom Of Giants resonated with the metalcore side of Beartooth, Silverstein brought that pop/emocore touch that makes you want to jump all over the place. With all the headbanging and jumping around, I didn’t think my body (or my vocal cords) would be in great shape the next day.
(Spoiler alert: I was right, but it was worth it!)
At 7:50 p.m., the lights went out again, signaling the imminent arrival of the second band. The crowd seemed just as thrilled to see Silverstein and wasn’t there to hold back! For 40 minutes, the audience put on their best mosh pits, circle pits, and slams, facing a band that was going all out and playing the hits fans had been waiting for.
The musicians seemed to be having just as much fun with the crowd as they did with each other, filling the stage and spinning like tops. Paul Marc Rousseau even had fun placing a pick on Paul Koehler’s hi-hat, which, at the first strike of the stick, was sent flying into the air, only to be caught by the guitarist so he could continue his riffs in fine form.
Even though the audience seemed to be having a great time, it was time for the second opening act to step aside and make way for the most anticipated band of the evening.
After an intermission that allowed fans to completely take over the pit, the sound of the music faded into the air, leaving an almost religious silence hanging over the venue. But that didn’t last long. Very quickly, the first notes of Pure Ecstasy began to ring out, and Caleb Shomo hadn’t even had time to sing a single word before the crowd was already screaming.
Even though the album had only been out for a month, the fans seemed to know every line of every song on the new album - and every track from their older albums as well. The setlist was quite varied, and even though some of the band’s hits weren’t included, it made perfect sense. It featured songs like Hated and In Between, which hold significant meaning during this era of the band’s career.
Oshie Bichar took the mic several times to back up Caleb, delivering both memorable screams and flawless backing vocals. And even though the stage design seemed to put the singer in the spotlight, the rest of the band didn’t seem to be sidelined.
Beartooth hasn’t lost any of its heaviness ; if anything, it seems to have perfected it over time. The crowd was jumping all over the place, running in circles, and singing until their voices were hoarse… The band’s concerts always live up to their reputation -if not exceeding it- thanks to all the emotion that comes with them today.
The frontman addressed the audience numerous times, and at times couldn’t even get a word in edgewise because the crowd was screaming so loudly! He took the time to thank everyone in attendance, to express his fear before the tour of returning to the stage after coming out, and concluded by saying that he “didn’t know what he was afraid of, in the end,” and that he could feel all the love and support resonating throughout the venue, for which he was very grateful. Caleb moved more than a few people to tears and even shed a few tears himself.
The concert ended with him and the audience singing the vocal parts of In Between a cappella ; a moment initiated by the fans that deeply moved the singer, who stepped down in front of the barriers to shake hands and thank everyone in person.
The takeaway from this evening -and likely from this entire tour- is that 2026 marks a turning point for Beartooth. They haven’t said their last word yet, and we expected nothing less. The concert didn’t disappoint, and their shows continue to live up to their reputation. The selection of opening acts remains as consistent and interesting as ever, and the energy that now fills the venues Beartooth plays is unlike any other. That’s why we encourage you -if you haven’t already- to check out Pure Ecstasy and go see the band the next time they come to our beautiful capital city!
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