Toque

Toque play The Bruce Guthro Theatre at Casino Nova Scotia on Saturday, September 5, starting at 8:00 p.m. They describe themselves as Canada's ultimate classic rock supergroup, and the name fits the bill. The band is fronted by Todd Kerns on lead vocals and guitar, with Brent Fitz on bass, keyboards and vocals, Cory Churko on lead guitar and vocals, and Shane Gaalaas on drums and vocals. It's a full-band setup with plenty of singing across the stage.

The set is built around Canadian classics. They cover Streetheart, Queen City Kids, Kim Mitchell, Loverboy, Saga, Platinum Blonde, Harlequin and Aldo Nova, so it's a run through a good chunk of the country's rock history. They mix those in with their own original singles, including 'Fighters', 'Broken' and 'Forever In A Day'. The show usually ends with Canada's national anthem, and video montages of Canadian TV and bands run across the back screen throughout the night.

There's a fair bit of history behind the group. It started when Kerns, Fitz and Churko came together for a one-off charity gig in Winnipeg back in 2012, dedicated to Canadian classic music. The night went well enough that they recorded the album Toque, and Shane Gaalaas joined later to round out the line-up. Kerns, who was in The Age of Electric, Myles Kennedy & the Conspirators and Triumph, has toured and recorded with Slash, Shania Twain and Kelly Clarkson. As a band, they've shared stages with Def Leppard, April Wine, Joan Jett and Foreigner.

It's a night that leans heavily into the Canadian songbook, with the covers taking centre stage alongside their own material. The show is at The Bruce Guthro Theatre at Casino Nova Scotia in Halifax on Saturday, September 5, at 8:00 p.m.