Hoobastank vocalist Doug Robb crouched low at the edge of the stage singing into the microphone at Toyota Arena, Ontario
Doug Robb's Spider-Man crouch at the edge of the stage, surveying the crowd before the next burst
Hoobastank drummer playing beneath the Hoobastank logo backdrop at Toyota Arena, Ontario, California
Hoobastank's name in lights, the drums driving underneath
Hoobastank bassist playing under green stage light at Toyota Arena, Ontario
Low end in a green haze as Hoobastank settles in
Hoobastank bassist bent over his pedalboard on stage at Toyota Arena, Ontario
Head down at the pedalboard, chasing the next sound
Hoobastank guitarist playing in stage haze at Toyota Arena, Ontario
Constant motion: Hoobastank's guitarist never stood still for long
Hoobastank guitarist under a haze-filled spotlight at Toyota Arena, Ontario
White light at last. Hoobastank made us earn it.
Hoobastank bassist singing backing vocals at Toyota Arena, Ontario
Hoobastank's bassist leans into the harmony
Hoobastank bassist alone in a single spotlight at Toyota Arena, Ontario
One spotlight in the dark for Hoobastank's bassist
Hoobastank vocalist Doug Robb crouched and singing in front of the Hoobastank backdrop at Toyota Arena, Ontario
Doug Robb coils low in front of the Hoobastank backdrop, ready to spring
Seether guitarist playing in green light and stage haze at Toyota Arena, Ontario
Seether hits the heavy in green light and smoke
Seether guitarist under stage light beams at Toyota Arena, Ontario
Under the beams, Seether gives no chance for recovery
Black and white photo of a Seether musician smiling at the microphone at Toyota Arena, Ontario
A rare grin in the middle of Seether's barrage
Seether vocalist Shaun Morgan shouting into the microphone under red light at Toyota Arena, Ontario
Shaun Morgan in red, mid-shout: Seether takes no prisoners
Seether vocalist Shaun Morgan at the microphone between stage light beams at Toyota Arena, Ontario
Shaun Morgan steps up to the mic as Seether's set turns to combat
Staind vocalist Aaron Lewis holding the microphone with both hands, looking upward, at Toyota Arena, Ontario
Aaron Lewis, eyes up, both hands on the mic
Seether bassist playing in white light beams in front of the Seether drum kit at Toyota Arena, Ontario
Wielding the bass like a weapon, the Seether kit behind
Seether bassist backlit by white stage lights at Toyota Arena, Ontario
Backlit and braced: Seether's low end in the white beams
Staind musician lit by deep blue stage light, staring toward the camera, at Toyota Arena, Ontario
Staind, under the blue wash that colored so much of the night
Staind vocalist Aaron Lewis singing in front of stage lights at Toyota Arena, Ontario
Aaron Lewis: the strong, quiet type, carrying 25 years of songs
Staind guitarist playing in bright white stage haze at Toyota Arena, Ontario
Staind's guitarist lost in the white haze
Staind drummer behind the drum kit framed by cymbals at Toyota Arena, Ontario
The engine room behind Staind, framed in cymbals
Staind vocalist Aaron Lewis singing at full voice into the microphone at Toyota Arena, Ontario
Aaron Lewis at full voice, the reserve giving way to the lyric
Staind vocalist Aaron Lewis singing alone at the front of the stage in blue light at Toyota Arena, Ontario
Aaron Lewis alone at the front of the stage, an arena hanging on every word
Chris Cornell portrait marked 1964 to 2017 on the arena screen during Staind's tribute to fallen rock artists at Toyota Arena, Ontario
Chris Cornell, 1964 to 2017, during Staind's tribute to fallen rock stars and friends
Wide view of Staind on stage with lights and screens over the crowd at Toyota Arena, Ontario
The full Break the Cycle production from the back of the floor

Staind at Toyota Arena: Break the Cycle Turns 25

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Toyota Arena, Ontario ยท October 10, 2026

“It’s Been Awhile” … It’s been a while since the five-times platinum album Break the Cycle was released. And this tour wears that namesake.

It’s dangerous to mix rainy days with an electric atmosphere, but we did it anyway. The Toyota Arena was near capacity on October 10th as four powerhouse bands took the arena stage. The size of the crowd was to be expected, but the age range for these post-grunge, alt-rock bands from the early 2000s was the surprise. I counted three generations in some cases; that’s quite a spread. Walking out, I met a mother who had gifted her daughter tickets for her birthday. These bands have absolutely stood the test of time.

Hinder opened with a shorter set, but they used that time well. Transporting the crowd to an earlier post-Y2K musical landscape. Definitely the rowdiest band on the bill. Hinder still brings the edge that they are known for. “Lips of an Angel” was the obvious sing-along centerpiece; however, the entire set was well received by an energetic arena.

Hoobastank brought the energy with constant motion. As a photographer, you just wish they would be still for a second, white light if it’s not too much to ask. We had to earn it! That being said, vocalist Doug Robb hit the edge of the stage with his best Spider-Man moves! Crouched low, surveying the crowd before springing into bursts of melodic action. The whole band played with higher intensity than we saw earlier this year on the BeatBox stage at Warped Tour, Long Beach. “The Reason” caused an eruption of crowd participation that raised the roof. Not a quiet soul in the arena. This was clearly what the mob had been waiting for.

Seether hit the heavy, but not so hard as to be “Broken.” The song “Broken” was conspicuously missing from the setlist. Certainly not a deal-breaker; without Amy Lee it wouldn’t have been the same anyway. The chosen setlist hit hard, fast, and didn’t give any chance for recovery. One solid hit landing after the other. Seether is the diamond-hard rock of this lineup. Shaun Morgan is an intimidating presence with shorter hair and the physique of a bodybuilder. Dale Stewart wields his bass guitar like a weapon while constantly moving. The whole set resembled musical combat, and no prisoners were taken. Seether played the direct-support slot for Staind, setting up the peak of the evening.

Staind packed in a full 25-year career homage. The setlist drew more than half of its songs from Break the Cycle, but was curated to deliver the breadth of Staind’s eight studio albums, ending with the “Outside”, “It’s Been a While” “Mudshovel” trifecta. Aaron Lewis’s presence is that of a seasoned veteran of public performance. He commands the stage with confidence, but presents as the strong quiet type. That reserve sits against the raw emotion of the lyrics. There was no one sing-along moment; the whole show fully engaged the audience. Hands in the air, all ages singing back when queued by Lewis. It almost seemed choreographed.

Toward the end of the set, and referencing the time that had passed, a very emotional tribute was paid to artists that are no longer with us. The tribute drove the climax: cheers erupted as missing artists filled the jumbo screens, Chris Cornell, Scott Weiland, and Chester Bennington among them, while Lewis and bassist Johnny April performed “Something to Remind You” for fallen rock stars and friends. This is a band that honors the influence of their cohort, and made us a part of that. The first storm of the season may have brought a chill outside, but this show stoked the emotional fires that kept us warm on the inside.

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