The Damn Truth Live review: Canadian rockers prove why rock is nowhere near flatlining

Underworld Camden 21st November 2025

The Underworld always feels a bit like stepping into a rock bunker: low ceilings, sticky floors, dim light, as if the end of the world has happened and the only sensible thing left to do is stay underground and rock. And honestly, if this had been the End of Days, you’d have been more than content to be trapped at this gig.

With the vintage psychedelic overtones of both Parker Barrow and The Damn Truth, plus an audience leaning slightly older, you could almost believe you’d stepped straight into 1972. Only the lack of patchouli and the absence of anyone sitting cross-legged on the floor gave away that we were fifty years on — still listening to a younger generation of musicians keeping the halcyon days of rock very much alive with their own energy and drive. Anyone who claims rock is dead is, frankly, talking shit.

This was also one of those rare nights where the support act could easily have headlined. Chatting to the crowd beforehand, there was an anticipation about seeing these bands. The rock world is small, and when a band is great, word spreads fast. These were two bands people either already faithfully followed or had heard enough about to know they needed to be here.

Nashville duo-turned-full-band Parker Barrow walked onstage with the unmistakable posture of headliners in the making. They kicked the evening into gear with ‘Make It’ and ‘Glass Eyes Cryin’ from their EP 'Hold The Mash.' Megan Kane’s vocals were like the lovechild of Grace Slick and Robert Plant: raw yet soulful. The guitar lines came in low and dirty, powering a set that had the momentum of an out-of-control freight train.

Megan, armed with tambourine and an ethereal red scarf, was visually somewhere between Kate Bush and Stevie Nicks — a vocal powerhouse and a whirlwind, impossible to catch but electric to watch. The addictive blues groove of ‘Novocaine’ with a stomp so heavy the floorboards will probably remember it for years.

The room stayed bathed in scarlet as The Damn Truth prepared to take over the stage. Lead guitarist Tom Shemerr strutted out in a sharp red suit with a matching guitar, referred to affectionately — and repeatedly — as “My Red Bastard” by his wife and frontwoman, Lee-La Baum, throughout the night.

All the anticipation about seeing this band live was soon put to the test, and boy did they deliver. The band eased us in gently with the soft vocals on the opening of 'Be Somebody', before cranking up the volume and energy and never letting go. 'Killer Whale', another juggernaut of a track from their latest album, while 'This Is Who We Are Now' was a full-room shout-along and a statement of intent for one of the most exciting rock bands on the scene.

Their momentum makes total sense when you remember that their most recent, self-titled album was nominated for Album of the Year at the ADISQ awards — the first rock album in 15 years to receive that kind of recognition. That accolade hangs in the air when they play; you can feel a band performing like they’ve earned their place and still want to bring their music to as many people as possible.

And while the spotlight often lands on Baum’s explosive vocals, the engine room is equally fierce — PY Letellier’s bass playing is a pulsating force that plays off Tom's lead guitar work that anchors the band’s sound. Stickman Dave Traina's impressive drum work keeps the energy high, whether he’s locking into a lazy groove or punching out drum solos, he gives every song a heartbeat you can feel through the soles of your boots.

Lee-La’s stamina across a 10-night tour with no days off is borderline superhuman. From the first song, everything felt big: big riffs, big emotions, big sing-along choruses, whether you knew the words or not.

Towards the end of the evening, Tom jumped into the crowd for a solo, moving through the audience as they effortlessly parted for him. It was a rare, electric sensation that only happens when a band and audience are perfectly in sync and feel totally at ease in each other's space.

The band finished off with the optimistic pop-rock banger 'Tomorrow', ending the night on a total high.

It was the kind of night where the support band huffed and puffed and headliners blew the house down, proving beyond a doubt that rock’s heartbeat is nowhere near flatlining.

Review Cathy Clark and Gerry Driver

Photos by Gerry Driver