Three Days Grace at the Toyota Arena: The Best Performance of 2025

By Caitlin Schmidt

There are some shows that just feel too good to be true, and Three Days Grace’s co-headlining set at Toyota Arena October 6th was exactly that, only it was true. Sharing the bill with Breaking Benjamin and support from Return To Dust, the Canadian rock band turned what could have been a nostalgia trip into a career-defining moment.

For the first time since 2013, Adam Gontier is back in Three Days Grace—this time for good—and he’s not alone. Rather than stepping back into his old role, Adam is now sharing lead vocals with Matt Walst, who has been the lead vocalist since Adam’s departure. The two have fused their eras into something completely new, and fans are losing their minds over it. Together, they’ve just released Alienation, the band’s eighth studio album and first since the reunion, and their chemistry onstage makes it clear this is no temporary experiment.

The band kicked off their set in unforgettable fashion. As “Dominate” from Alienation played in the background, the members walked alongside and through the crowd, each dressed in yellow boxing robes. The energy was already at a ten, but when they hit the stage and tore into “Animal I Have Become,” the entire arena detonated. The bass hit so hard it felt physical, and from the barricade, you could feel every word reverberate through the crowd. Even from the photo pit, every photographer—myself included—were screaming the lyrics. I was visibly shaking from sheer excitement. It was one of those pure adrenaline moments that make you remember exactly why live music means so much.

From there, the band moved through a setlist that balanced eras almost perfectly: one Adam-era song, one Matt-era song, a new track from Alienation, then back again. The back-and-forth pattern created a living timeline of their evolution, with each vocalist backing the other up—sometimes switching guitars, sometimes locking into harmonies that just hit. It was a seamless handoff between two artists who’ve both shaped the band’s identity.

About midway through the set, Adam paused to address the crowd, smiling as the room roared:

“It’s been a while since we’ve been here, and every time we come here, you guys are fucking amazing, tonight’s no different man. You always make us feel at home when we come here. We’re actually from a province called Ontario too, small world. So really, this is like our second home, this is our home, ya know? Speaking of home, let’s go!”

The cue was perfect. “Home” hit like a time capsule opening.

Then, in one of the most heartfelt moments of the night, Adam gave a brief history of the band—marking the timeline of when they were picked up, their first, second, third, and fourth studio albums—and then he said:

“and then in 2013 I left the band,”
to which the crowd unanimously boo’d. He followed that jokingly with:

“yeah I know, I know, I know. You know that’s a lot of people booing at one time for you, that doesn’t feel the greatest, but I get it. But what happened when I left the band was nothing short of amazing. These guys kept going and kept putting out great albums and great music, and I’m just very grateful and thankful that they did that, because if they hadn’t done that, we wouldn’t be here today doing what we’re doing now. And if it wasn’t for this guy right here, Mr. Matt Walst, none of that would have happened so make some noise for Matt.”

The audience responded like family. It was genuine, humble, and powerful—an artist honoring the man who carried the torch in his absence.

Later, Matt took his own moment to hype the new era:

“Hell fucking yeah we’ve got a rock concert tonight! You people are on fire, we love that shit man. So just over a month ago, we released a new record called Alienation. We’re gonna play the first song we released off that album, but before we do, we want to thank each and every one of you for making this song go number one in the U.S.A. so thank you so much.”

Then came “Mayday,” which hit every bit as hard live as it does on record. Following “Kill Me Fast”—another Alienation standout—Adam grinned and said:

“We just played you guys the newest song that this band’s ever put out. Do you mind if we go back and play the very first song that we ever put out? I think you know it, I want to hear everybody sing it.”

The crowd knew exactly what was coming. The instant the first guitar notes of “I Hate Everything About You” rang out, the arena erupted into chaos. The roar was deafening—one of the loudest moments I’ve experienced all year. It was nostalgia and rebirth colliding in real time.

A little later on in the set, Adam stayed onstage alone to perform a haunting cover of Alice in Chains’ “Rooster.” His voice carried the weight of every era he’s lived through. Then came “Never Too Late,” the emotional peak of the night—a song that’s helped thousands of fans through hard times. Seeing both Adam and Matt out at the end of the catwalk, singing together under white lights, turned it into one of the most beautiful duets imaginable. They closed with “Riot,” igniting two simultaneous mosh pits on either side of the catwalk—an explosive finale to a set that had already felt like a greatest-hits celebration and a new beginning rolled into one.

This was my first time seeing Three Days Grace live, and it was more than I could’ve dreamed. The emotion, the production, the lighting so bright it challenged my camera settings, the camaraderie between bandmates—it was impossible not to feel like you were witnessing something historic. It’s honestly difficult to fully describe. You really had to be there. Adam and Matt’s voices are insanely complementary, and any band with a legendary original singer and a current vocalist should take note. Matt made his era his own—he didn’t try to mimic Adam, which so many vocalists attempt when stepping into an established band. Because their voices are so distinct, they harmonize effortlessly, creating moments that just work.

Adam and Matt’s voices aren’t competing—they’re complementing. Where other bands might struggle to merge past and present, Three Days Grace are proving that two eras can coexist, and even thrive.

I’ve covered a lot of shows this year—some of my favorite artists, some of the best sets I thought I’d ever see. But even with a few months left in the year, and one massive festival still ahead, I can say without the slightest shred of doubt: this was the best performance of 2025.

Literally life changing.

Breaking Benjamin

I was only able to catch the first four songs of Breaking Benjamin’s set—three from the photo pit and one from the crowd—before having to head out for an almost three-hour drive and an early morning at work. But even in that short time, it was clear why they’ve built such a devoted following. They opened with Awaken, followed by Follow and Blow Me Away, each one tight, heavy, and full of energy.

When they launched into So Cold, my personal favorite, I had to stay and soak it all in. The band sounded massive, with every guitar note and drum hit landing just right, and the vocals cutting through with that trademark intensity. I’m definitely bummed I missed The Diary of Jane closing out the set, but the songs I did get to catch were more than enough to make it worth sticking around.

We’d like to thank Three Days Grace and Breaking Benjamin for having us out to document this unbelievable show.

Three Days Grace Photo Gallery

Breaking Benjamin Photo Gallery