Los Campesinos kick off their North American tour with a sweat-soaked show at Wrongbar

Los Campesinos! kicked off a lengthy North American tour on Friday night at Wrongbar, making their long-awaited return to Toronto after volcanic ash hampered their attempts to venture across the Atlantic earlier this year. With all eight members and dozens of instruments crammed onto the tiny stage at Wrongbar, Los Camp's set was a sweaty and intimate affair that showcased their latest LP Romance is Boring alongside a few tracks from their previous releases.

Former tour manager and roadie Jason Campesinos! joined the band just a few months ago following the departure of drummer and founding member Ollie Camp! And he didn't miss a beat on Friday night, delivering a powerful concoction of electronic and organic percussion work that had the crowd bouncing around despite the rising temperatures inside the venue.

Their set was filled with anthemic sing-a-longs led by vocalist and glockenspiel player Gareth Campesinos, whose cynical, tongue-in-cheek lyrics directly contrast the quirky, upbeat melodies that make up Los Camp's fun-filled indie-pop sound. Their simultaneously playful and brooding songs were brilliantly translated into a passionate live performance that had their fervent fans going crazy from start to finish.

Check out my photos and videos from the show:

Photos and videos by Matthew McAndrew.