Concert Review and Photos: Sleaford Mods bring high voltage to The Mod Club in Toronto

Venue: The Mod Club, Toronto
The Vibe: Sweaty, cynical, and undeniably electric
There’s a beautiful irony in seeing Sleaford Mods—the ultimate poets of British working-class austerity—perform at a venue called The Mod Club. But as Jason Williamson paced the stage like a caged tiger and Andrew Fearn pressed ‘play’ on his laptop with his signature nonchalant grin, the Toronto crowd didn’t care about semantics. They were there for the bile, the beats, and the brilliance.

The Set: From Slow Burns to High Voltage
The night kicked off with the creeping tension of “The Unwrap” and “The Good Life,” setting a gritty, industrial tone. Williamson’s vocal delivery was as sharp as ever, spitting out verses with a physical intensity that makes you wonder how he keeps it up for 25 tracks.
The energy shifted gears early with “TCR” and “Dad’s Corner,” where the basslines began to rattle the floorboards of the College Street staple. By the time they hit the middle stretch—featuring the sneering “I Don’t Rate You” and the infectious, claustrophobic groove of “Mork N Mindy”—the room was a sea of nodding heads and pointed fingers.
Standout Moments
• The New Classics: Tracks like “UK Grim” and “Force 10 From Navarone” proved that the duo hasn’t lost their edge, tackling the modern wasteland with the same ferocity they had a decade ago.
• The Surprise: The inclusion of their “West End Girls” cover was a masterstroke. It stripped the Pet Shop Boys’ synth-pop gloss into something darker and more desperate, yet strangely danceable.
• The Home Stretch: The final run was a relentless assault of fan favorites. “Tied Up in Nottz” and the iconic “Jobseeker” saw the loudest singalongs of the night, before the chaotic frenzy of “Tweet Tweet Tweet” brought the house down.

The Verdict:
Sleaford Mods don’t do “shows” in the traditional sense; they perform a public exorcism of modern anxieties. There are no instruments to hide behind—just a microphone, a laptop, and a staggering amount of truth. Toronto felt every word.
Setlist Highlights:
• Best Groove: “Kebab Spider”
• Crowd Favorite: “Jobseeker”
• Unexpected Gem: “West End Girls” (Pet Shop Boys Cover)

Full Setlist:

1. The Unwrap
2. The Good Life
3. Megaton
4. TCR
5. Dad’s Corner
6. Shoving the Images
7. Flood the Zone
8. I Don’t Rate You
9. Mork N Mindy
10. Gina Was
11. No touch
12. UK Grim
13. Elitist GOAT
14. Kebab Spider
15. Bad Santa
16. Demise of Planet X
17. Bang someone out
18. A Little Ditty
19. Kill List
20. Double Diamond
21. Force 10 From Navarone
22. West End Girls (Pet Shop Boys cover)
23. Tied Up in Nottz
24. Jobseeker
25. Tweet Tweet Tweet

Christopher Goyette

Christopher Goyette is a live music and event photographer in Minneapolis.

chrisgoyette.com