Lights & Tynomi Banks.
Written and shot by: Eva Lynch
February 17th, 2023
Montreal, QC @ Fairmount Theatre
As soon as Tynomi Banks walked on stage she commanded the room’s attention. With her flourishing gestures and energetic movements, the crowd was entranced, dancing alongside her. Banks has been performing drag for over a decade, and is widely recognized for competing on the first season of the reality show Canada’s Drag Race, although had already amassed a large following beforehand, and her music selection had the whole room hopping. Banks connected with the audience immediately, singing to the faces in the first few rows, taking the time to hold hands with fans and offer a small caress of people’s cheeks as she moved through the routine.
The confidence of the self proclaimed ‘Beautiful Spicy Monster’ was infectious, and there was a clear admiration between Tynomi Banks and Lights for each other as this show closed out the Canadian leg of their tour, Lights even bringing Tynomi Banks back on to celebrate together at a moment.
Lights came onto the stage with a clear PEP in her step, starting the night with “Salt and Vinegar” off her latest album, and the entire performance was full of fun and lively energy, as Lights danced around the stage, tossing her hair back and forth in time with the tempo. The crowd which had been talking amongst themselves was brought to life and Lights had the audience jumping up and down with her so vivaciously the floor of the Fairmount was vibrating. The room was full of energy and brought together an unlikely crowd of new and old couples, young teens and families, and people ready to just sing their hearts out together.
This concert was the Canadian Electro-Pop artist’s first show in Montreal in almost a decade and the sold-out venue showered the band with love as they sang every word back to Lights. Her newest album Pep, was released last April, and is Light’s follow up to her prior 2017 release, Skin and Earth. Lights played music from every era, and
switched effortlessly between styles and genres that underpin her music, letting the charismatic energy flow. This album shows how much Lights has grown in sound and confidence, and was a pleasure to watch.
