On October 30, 2024, Winnipeg’s Park Theatre became the ultimate Halloween haunt as the Water the Flowers, Pray for a Garden Tour brought Canadian indie pop acts Valley and renforshort to town. Costumes were encouraged, and concertgoers rose to the occasion, flooding the venue with a parade of characters. The artists, too, joined in the spirit, with renforshort embodying a chilling zombie/skeleton and Valley transforming into the Mystery Gang from Scooby Doo, complete with Scooby himself.
renforshort. Photos by Samuel Stevens Photography
Renforshort took the stage first promptly at 8 pm, delivering a hauntingly electric set that kicked off with "Julian, king of manhattan" and seamlessly dove straight into "made for you" and "moshpit." She’s known for her blend of confessional lyrics and raw emotion, which matched the eerie ambiance of her costume perfectly. Fans were also treated to her cover of Chappell Roan's "Red Wine Supernova," which brought a slower, almost surreal moment to the set, giving her voice a chance to shine through the more intense energy of the night. Her performances of "fuck, i luv my friends" and "i drive me mad" rounded out her set with the same fervour and frenetic energy that’s become her trademark, leaving the audience exhilarated for what was yet to come.
After a brief twenty-minute intermission, Valley appeared on stage as the fully assembled Mystery Gang, with vocalist/guitarist Rob Laska as Shaggy, drummer/vocalist Karah James dressed as Velma, bassist/vocalist Alex Dimauro dressed up as Fred, and their touring guitarist Feurd dressed up as Scooby Doo. The crowd lit up at the sight, adding to the sense of playful nostalgia that Valley’s music often evokes. They opened their massive setlist with "Water the Flowers, Pray for a Garden," setting the tone with shimmering melodies and dynamic rhythms. Throughout their twenty-one-song set that spanned their entire discography, Valley masterfully balanced old favourites like "Like 1999" and "A Phone Call In Amsterdam" with deeper cuts and acoustic moments. "Cocoon," which is a stunning, yet poignant song, was a standout, transforming the lively crowd into a hushed, captivated audience as the band’s harmonies soared over a quieted room.
Valley. Photos by Samuel Stevens Photography
Adding a Halloween twist -although they do it every night- Valley involved the audience in a fan vote, with their song "Sports Car" ultimately winning out to an assortment of loud cheers. The energy peaked with "Crawlspace" and "Life Goes On Without Me," and the band closed out with a rousing encore of some of their catchier tunes, "There’s Still A Light In The House" and "Bop Ba." These final songs turned the room into a collective sing-along, leaving the audience on a high as the Halloween spirit mingled with the warmth of Valley’s signature sound.
The night’s combination of Halloween costumes, high-energy performances from both Valley and renforshort, and crowd engagement made this Halloween show unforgettable, a delightful spectacle that embodied the magic of live music and holiday spirit in one.