In the words of Toronto’s Down with Webster just before taking the stage at Wilf’s last Thursday, “It’s time to win.”
The concert, which was A-Team’s final concert production of the year, sold out in just a few hours.
Once at Wilf’s, it was clear why – everyone was having the time of their lives.Even lining up outside of the venue, the energy was staggering.
But it wasn’t until the band finally hit the stage at midnight that the floor, literally, began to shake.
The show started off with a 30 minute set from Down with Webster’s DJ Diggy; eventually the entire group took the stage as the headliners.
The band’s passion and appreciation for music of all genres as well as their genuine musical talent was evident in the way they flawlessly incorporated songs from other artists in their live show, through the skill of Diggy and their unique cover songs.
Down with Webster also thrives on integrating genres, such as rock, hip-hop and jazz, into their sound.
“When you think about it, all these genres are fairly similar,” Webster’s vocalist, Cameron Hunter told The Cord after the show.
“For instance, you can rap on a rock beat or sing on a rap beat. It’s just all four/four time,” he said as he tapped the table to a simple rhythm. “Just like this.”
Their sound, however, is far from that simple. Webster’s creativity is made evident by their often unique song themes, witty and satirical lyrics such as “whoa is me, I’m so whoa!” and their ability to balance the sounds of all seven members.
Under this challenge, what’s particularly impressive is the way in which the members work together so cohesively.
When there are seven members in a group, imaginably, it would often be difficult to get anything done; however, Down with Webster embraces this unique factor.
“I’m grateful for having a group of individuals who are so willing to work for a common goal,” said the band’s bassist and keyboardist Tyler Armes.
“We are so lucky that our families are supportive of what we’re doing and that people didn’t bail when times were hard. Everyone’s so focused on the same goal.”
“It’s bad-ass,” he added.
It probably helps that they don’t seem to take themselves too seriously, are able to goof around with each other and have a common love for music.
“I’m obsessed with music – listening to it, downloading it, making it. It makes up most of my day,” said Hunter.
“That, and social networking,” he added humourously as an afterthought.
Down with Webster prides themselves on being a hardworking and dedicated group of musicians, but they also know how to have a good time.
Their desire for high-energy fun and partying was demonstrated by their overwhelming energy and enthusiasm on stage that managed to engage everyone in the room.
The musicians have been playing together for about 12 years now, but admit that they only began to take it seriously about three years ago.
Last April, Down with Webster signed with Universal Motown and have gained a lot in terms of publicity and popularity.
They explain that it wasn’t until about a month ago that they begin feeling a difference in their musical careers.
“Up until then we’ve just been trying to play bigger and bigger shows in different places, but we’ve been doing that since we were, like, 16 years old,” said Hunter.
Despite their newfound popularity, Hunter claims that he still really enjoys playing in smaller venues like Wilf’s.
“If you get 200-plus drunk teenagers and 20-year-olds in a room, it’s gonna be nuts,” he said adding, “I like these smaller shows because it feels very familiar. It has a cool vibe and it’s much more intimate.”
Armes expanded on this, stating that their goal is to play music around the world with the hope of making it a better place.
“The first way we’re gonna do it is by making people happy with the music itself, and then if we ever get in a position where we can actually make a difference in certain areas we feel warrant it, we’ll do that. It’s not all about partying and having fun … though a lot of it is.”
