Tigers Jaw @ The Magic Stick - May 27, 2026

After their album release of "Lost on You" in March 2026, Tigers Jaw embarked on the second half of their USA tour, starting in no other city but Detroit Rock City! The show was opened by Bleary Eyed and Pool Kids.

Bleary Eyed - Image from floodmagazine

Bleary Eyed

Bleary Eyed is rock group from Philly PA. They threw down, playing some fuzzy, twinkly, sort of shoegaze-y sounds that got the pit all buzzin' around. The singer, Nathaniel Salfi, hadn't slept in 2 days and thought he was still in Philly, which was silly. Such an energetic group, and it reminds me how much I love getting to shows early for the openers, as I often end up becoming a fan after the show.

Pool Kids - Image from ourculturemag

Pool Kids

 Originating from Tallahassee, Florida, Pool Kids showed OUT, with some good old fashioned emo and math rock. I was absolutely stoked when I first heard the guitarist play the most twinkly riff that has ever graced my ears. Live and up close. This band really got the energy going in the crowd, as the pit began to spiral. These guys also were very informative and helpful with people trying to crowd surf. Way too many people weren't getting caught, and people were just flying everywhere. The kids in the pit were rambunctious, and I was tempted to jump in, but I knew I had to save my energy for Tigers Jaw.

Tigers Jaw

Tigers Jaw came on, and lead singer Ben Walsh went right into it, opening with three songs off the new album Lost on You: “It’s Ok,” “Primary Colors,” and “Head is Like a Sinking Stone.” At that point, I moshed my way into the pit, and I wasn’t coming out. “Head is Like a Sinking Stone” was one of my favorite tracks off the new album, so the second I heard that opening, I knew it was time to start moving.

Tigers Jaw has cited Fall Out Boy and My Chemical Romance as some of their influences, and it totally comes across in their punchy guitars and emotional lyrics. What I love most about this band is the balance in their music. They have songs that are slower, emotional, and gut-wrenching, but they also have loud, fast, nasty emo songs that make you want to stage dive, crowd surf, and throw yourself around. Honestly, it helped the flow of the concert too. During the slower songs, there were fewer people crowd surfing, less sweaty moshing, and a chance to breathe before everything picked back up again.

Tigers Jaw - Image by Sarah Mainero

Soon after, they played my favorite song, “Between Your Band and the Other Bands.” I was with a couple of other girls near the front, and we were all dancing and screaming the lyrics together. That’s another thing I love about this group, the audience isn’t just a bunch of gross old dudes. The front left side of the stage was full of girls, and we all looked out for each other if someone got knocked down or pushed too hard. I felt safe and supported in this crowd, not afraid to jump around and dance as hard as I wanted. The band played almost every song off the album, mixed in with some of their most popular tracks. Some standout songs for me were “June,” “Sun,” and “Plane vs Tank vs Submarine.”

Throughout the show, people were constantly stage diving and crowd surfing. I remember seeing this group of younger kids who looked like they had stepped straight out of the proper 2000s emo scene with spiked arm cuffs, aggressive side parts, and heavy black eyeliner. Every time one of them got up to crowd surf, they all started screaming together like it was the craziest moment of their lives. Maybe for a fifteen-year-old emo kid, it was. It reminded me of my first real mosh pit when I was fourteen. Lydia Night, former lead singer of The Regrettes, pulled a Kathleen Hanna moment and called all the girls to the front. The crowd was so packed that every time I jumped, it felt like for just a second, I was floating above everyone. That experience felt absolutely electrifying.

Tigers Jaw guitar pick I nabbed :3

The group ended with “I Saw Water,” a song filled with emotion and sadness that perfectly tied off the night. Ben Walsh honestly seems like such a nice guy — he just kept thanking the crowd, and we thanked him too. It’s funny how wholesome he seems for someone writing songs that are so angry and sad. The first time I saw Tigers Jaw was at Bell’s Eccentric Cafe in Kalamazoo, and I didn’t know any of their music. Now, after becoming a fan and learning the songs and lyrics, the experience felt real and deeply connected. I’m genuinely thankful for these communities of welcoming people who are all there for the same reason, the universal language; music.

Written by Sarah Mainero, WIDR Promotion Director '26-27