Siobhan Bodrug in Toronto

The Burdock music hall in Toronto was in for a treat when they booked Siobhan Bodrug to headline her very own show this spring. The Toronto local and up and coming singer songwriter who is slated to play Summerfest in Milwaukee this June amidst names like Ed Sheeran, Post Malone, Don Toliver, and Louis Tomlinson brought her eclectic indie pop and rock energy to a new stage. Her set was supported by another Toronto local, Elan McMurray.

Elan McMurray sets the vibe

Elan McMurray, backed by her band, opened the show with some original music and a warm cozy energy. In her knit sweater and loose jeans, she radiated a relaxed and comfortable energy, something that was further solidified by the indie rock songs that she finds comfort in. She talked about being inspired by Jazz music and how her education in music influences the way she creates her own songs.

Elan McMurray was funny and charming as she engaged the audience with stories about her grandpa and played songs that were nostalgic to her childhood, including Seven Spanish Angels, a Ray Charles and Willie Nelson song from 1985. Near the end of her set she joked about just finding out about Nora Jones, and how social media introduced her to the song Dreams by Fleetwood Mac, which she did cover and her voice fit the melody of the song beautifully. When she finished her set, she stepped away to greet family and friends in the audience, ending things with a tender hug and smiles.

Siobhan Bodrug delivers a powerful set

For the second time in only a month’s time, I got to watch Siobhan Bodrug and her band take to the stage, this time as the headliner of the evening. As the band got ready to start, talking quietly and adjusting their instruments, her eyes scanned over the crowd and you could see the glimmer of excitement that was there for a moment before she adjusted the microphone and rolled her shoulders. Prepared and steadfast. She opened with her song ‘Monster’ , a song that delves into the feelings tied to being in a toxic relationship and looking into your own reflection to see what keeps drawing you to that person. She sang the song passionately, bending forward with her hand on her stomach as she belted out the bridge of the song. Her father, who plays in the band on keys and backing vocals, watched her sing with a contemplative smile but never missed a note.

As the night continued, she played popular songs like “Bitter Sweet,’ and ‘Bite’ , two songs that always get a strong crowd reaction with people cheering loudly as she sang sweetly through each song. She shared a few jokes with the crowd before announcing that she would be heading to SummerFest this year. When the show started to wind down, she did a stripped back acoustic rendition of “I think it’s gonna rain.” The audience swayed along as she sang, lost in the moment.

As the lights come up

The lights came back on in the Burdock as the speaker systems came back to life, playing a pop music station so low that it faded into the background. People began to chatter as the artists came back into the crowd, all smiles and sweat from the stage lights. With everything coming over the next few months for Siobhan Bodrug, I can not wait to see where she goes next.