If there’s one thing you should know about Valley, it’s that they know how to put on a show.
On the second night of the “Water the Flowers, Pray for a Garden” Tour, the Toronto-based band stopped by House of Blues. This is the biggest show the band has played in Boston – they first played at The Sinclair in 2022 then at Big Night Live in 2023.
The group had rising indie musicians Charli Adams and Mickey Darling open. Adams’ melancholic acoustic set and Mickey Darling’s energetic dance sound gave the crowd a fantastic precursor to Valley’s performance while showcasing their talents, interacting with the crowd and commanding the stage in their own right.
Valley opened with the album’s title track “Water the Flowers, Pray for a Garden,” bringing excitement and joy in their stage presence and performance. The set design for the tour consisted of Brutalist-inspired blocks with faux flowers and grass, which drummer Karah James mentioned in an interview with ECHO before the tour began.
Despite having mixed feelings about their older catalog, Valley cultivated the perfect blend of songs from the new album and fan favorites from past projects. ‘Water the Flowers, Pray for a Garden’ is the first album where Valley has three members instead of four: Rob Laska, Alex Dimauro and Karah James.
Although it was only the second night of the tour, the trio noted how special and emotional it was to be playing the new songs live. Older tracks like “sucks to see you doing better” and “Swim” brought the audience and the band a sense of nostalgia, creating a profound sense of community.
After taking a fan’s BeReal, they asked her to pick a song from ‘MAYBE’ to play as a surprise. When fans cheered for “Sports Car,” James peeked from behind her drumset and jokingly declined, saying it was “a bit see you next Tuesday,” earning a laugh.
Both Valley and the crowd agreed on “Namedropper,” which Laska noted the group hadn’t played since the “MAYBE” Tour. After having seen Valley on their past three tours, it’s clear the band has genuine love for performing and making music.
Where most bands stick to traditional roles of vocalists, guitarists and drummers both in recording and on stage, Valley features each members’ talents and leadership. It’s both an ode to their lifelong relationship as bandmates and friends.
On “Let It Rain” James took the lead, with Laska on piano. Before the song began, James gave a speech about former bandmate Mickey Brandolino’s departure from the group and how other personal life changes shaped the new album.
Valley took time to interact with fans between songs, excitedly talking about their love for Boston and fascination with American sports culture compared to Canadian sports culture. “I was watching all these people leave Fenway Park today,” Laska said, “and it felt like I was in a romcom.”
Dimauro led the crowd through the chorus and claps, bringing them further into songs like the upbeat indie track “Crawlspace” and an intimate, acoustic version of “Cocoon.”
Valley ended the set with “There’s Still a Light in the House” – the track that brought them into the spotlight in 2019 – into “Bop Ba” – a heartfelt track off their newest project.
Valley’s love for music and each other brings an infectious joy to the audience, sweeping Boston off their feet. Fans lingered around the venue after the show hoping to catch the band, several of them noting that the concert was “the best one” they’d ever been to.
Valley’s North American tour continues through November. Their European tour begins next year. Get tickets here: https://www.thisisvalley.com/tour/
