PHOTO HALUK GURER
You can tell a lot about a band from the way they walk on stage. Some favour bombast, some favour spectacle. The Commoners? They stroll on, lock in, and fly. Almost as if only the music matters. And across the whole show, that’s exactly what you decide: this is a band who put the songs front and centre.
Hailing from Toronto, they remain one of the absolute finest bands we have at the moment. Why they’re not already in huge arenas is anyone’s guess, but we are where we are. What we do get, though, is “Gone Without Warning” to open – a blistering, soulful statement of intent – followed by “The Way I Am,” and “Runnin’ Blind,” which crackles with that effortless Commoners energy.
“Just Watch Me” is sheer class, tight and confident, while “Devil Teasin’ Me” brings that swaggering, bluesy stomp that they do so well. They’ve always had the assurance to back it up, and tonight proves why: they’re a band with both muscle and melody, with social nuance and emotional weight threaded through everything.
“Too Soon To Know You” hits with real soul, “Restless” carries the feel of true road-dogs – lived-in and real – and “See You Again” brings the keys and harmonies right to the forefront. “Alive” follows with a punch, another sign of just how deep their catalogue already runs.
There’s fresh material too. “Searching (For Something)” is a very welcome addition to the set, and “Ghosts On The Highway” – confirmed as being on their 2026 album – suggests the next chapter might be their biggest yet.
Then come the songs that feel like a celebration every time. “Fill My Cup” is pure joy, while “Find A Better Way” remains one of their finest moments, bursting with warmth and intent.
They leave, briefly. Then they’re back, naturally. As Chris Medhurst grins: “We’re nice Canadian boys… we were always going to do one more.” And when that one more is “Shake You Off,” it lands exactly as it should.
It’s not for me to tell the great British record-buying public how to spend their money, but the fact that a band as good as The Commoners are playing the small room at KK’s is something that really needs investigating. They are an absolutely sensational band, bringing the songs, the soul, and the fire. Surely, they’re just waiting for take-off.
