TOPS Live in Tucson

191 TOOLE- We got the chance to catch TOPS live at 191 Toole in Tucson and write a little about their show and tour!

The Montreal, Quebec, Canada indie rock outfit, TOPS, dropped by 191 Toole in Tucson, AZ last Saturday (10/16) to dazzle the Tucson crowd! Originally formed in 2011 by Jane Penny and David Carriere, TOPS released their fourth studio album on April 3rd, 2020 titled, I Feel Alive. The band played a mix of songs from that record and their previous albums on 10/16. 

Waiting for the band to take the stage a single flute sits upright preparing for the warm lights to come up and the boom of the kick drum to start. Beginning the night with one of their newest releases titled, Party Again, this is a true signifier that the band is indeed ready to party again! Pairing their classic, vintage pop sound with newer, bolder hooks and larger-than-life synthesizers TOPS newest song gives you glimpses into the old and a new clearer view of the future. After being cooped up without playing a live show you could see the excitement beaming from the band as the first song bopped on. Following up their newest release with the leading track off their album, Direct Sunlight this glassy tune cast you into a sunny day with its plucky synth and warm guitar licks. But not to be too cheerful, the lyrics in, Direct Sunlight, give off a sense of uneasiness that some possibilities may not stay forever or ever come to fruition. A flute solo from Penny, however? That totally comes to fruition at the end of the song and many times throughout the night!  The next few songs saw the band mix in new and old, Superstition Future, OK Fine Whatever, and Witching Hour, all were to follow. Sounding like it came off of an unreleased Fleetwood Mac record, Witching Hour, though not projecting these larger-than-life hooks, is still a very catchy song and will have you boppin’ around. Colder & Colder gives you a chilling feel into how the past can stick with you and haunt you. Penny’s vocals sounding like they are echoing through an abandoned corridor pairs perfectly with the ever-haunting feel of the song. To round out the rest of the set was The Hollow Sound of the Morning Chimes, Take Down, Way to be Loved, and Petals. Being TOPS most recognizable song and topping (no pun intended) their Spotify with over 24 million streams, Way to be Loved,  was the crowd favorite. Off of the 2014 album, Picture You String, this jazzy guitar-driven song is the perfect example of indie-pop and you could hear it with Penny dropping her vocals to reveal the crowd crooning to her. The set concluded with, Petals, off of their 2017 album, Sugar at the Gate. Petals has a silky smooth guitar riff and a buttery bassline to accompany the lyrics of a night spent alone. The perfect ending to a night that was spent with a crowd of music-loving people who have been TOPS deprived for over a year now! Be sure to catch TOPS as they continue their tour!

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TOPS - 2021 TOUR DATES

10/14 - Palm Springs, CA @ The Alibi

10/15 - Phoenix, AZ @ Valley Bar

10/16 - Tucson, AZ @ 191 Toole

10/17 - El Paso, TX @ Lowbrow Palace

10/19 - San Antonio, TX @ Paper Tiger

10/20 - Houston, TX @ Warehouse Live (The Studio)

10/22 - Austin, TX @ Mohawk

10/23 - Dallas, TX @ Club Dada

10/24 - Memphis, TN @ The Hi Tone Cafe

10/25 - Atlanta, GA @ Terminal West

10/27 - Chapel Hill, NC @ Local 506

10/28 - Baltimore, MD @ Metro Gallery

10/29 - Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brenda's

10/30 - Brooklyn, NY @ Market Hotel

10/31 - New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom

11/02 - Allston, MA @ Brighton Music Hall

11/03 - Montreal, QC @ Théatre Rialto

11/04 - Toronto, ON @ Lee's Palace

11/05 - Detroit, MI @ Marble Bar

11/06 - Chicago, IL @ Empty Bottle

11/07 - Chicago, IL @ Empty Bottle

11/08 - St. Paul, MN @ Turf Club

11/11 - Vancouver, BC @ Imperial Theatre

11/12 - Seattle, WA @The Crocodile

11/13 - Portland, OR @ Doug Fir Lounge

11/15 - San Francisco, CA @ The Independent

11/16 - San Luis Obispo @ SLO Brew

11/17 - San Diego, CA @ Music Box

11/18 - Los Angeles, CA @ El Rey Theatre