May 22 2026 – Toronto, Ontario
Chet Faker opened two back-to-back nights in Toronto with a groovy late-night set at the Phoenix Concert Theatre this past Friday. Currently on tour for his latest album, A Love For Strangers, Chet Faker – also known as Nick Murphy – is an Australian singer, songwriter, and producer creating soulful electronic indie pop. This performance on the A Love For Strangers Tour was followed by a special piano set the next night at The Mod Club.
Brooklyn-based electronic duo Beacon kicked things off with a mellow, laid-back electronic set. Their music fuses R&B vocals with airy, electronic production, and their sound is reminiscent of Tame Impala’s Currents, with a stronger emphasis on dance beats. With the stage lit up by fluid and transforming black and white abstract visuals, you could get lost in and feel totally immersed in their music.
Chet’s later set time was perfect for a Friday night in the city. He took the stage at 10pm and was welcomed in by cheers from the most packed crowd I have seen to date at The Phoenix. He wasted no time getting to his hit songs, opening the set with “Drop The Game,” his song with producer and DJ, Flume, followed by his wildly successful cover of Blackstreet’s “No Diggity” off of his 2012 album Thinking In Textures. He then continued on to play tracks from A Love For Strangers, his first release under Chet Faker in four years, including “Over You,” “Remember Me,” and “The Thing About Nothing.” This is the kind of show where you might not expect a ton of dancing, and that was the case for some songs as the crowd let Chet’s smooth vocals wash over them; but fans got moving and were dancing the night away during some of Chet’s more upbeat tracks.
Throughout the night, Chet and his two backing musicians switched between instruments constantly – guitar, keys, drums, bass, and saxophone – and performed extended instrumental sections of his songs, filling up the venue with gorgeous sonics and creating a captivating atmosphere.
The A Love For Strangers Tour is a perfect way to spend a night out and witness an incredible live show. The North American leg is wrapping up on May 30th in New York City, followed by a European leg this summer, and a final show in Queenston, New Zealand at Snow Machine Festival on September 11th. Get tickets here.
