The Damn Truth take the stage at Waterloo Music Bar to the sound of Jefferson Airplane‘s ‘White Rabbit’ playing over the PA, and by the time it builds to its peak the room already senses this is going to be a proper night of music. The Montreal four-piece look the part too, all colour and cut and period detail, more than a hint of Sgt Pepper about the outfits, and in a room this size it makes them impossible to ignore.
This is the last night of their UK tour, but nobody would guess it from how tight the band sound. Lee-la Baum takes lead vocals and rhythm guitar, Tom Shemer handles lead guitar, PY Letellier is on bass and Dave Traina sits behind the drums. All four players lock together closely, the kind of connection only built up over years on the road, and all four take a turn on harmony vocals through the set. ‘Be Somebody’ and ‘Killer Whale’ open things up, unhurried and confident, letting the songs breathe rather than rushing them.
Shemer and Letellier barely stand still for the whole show, spinning and crossing the stage, playing off each other and off the crowd, and by the third song half the room is moving with them.
Baum‘s voice is the other big weapon here. She holds real power in reserve on ‘Love Outta Luck’ and ‘Addicted’, then pulls everything back for ‘The Willow’, quiet enough that the room has to lean in to catch it. ‘This Is Who We Are Now’ and ‘All Night Long’ both land choruses that stick, the kind you catch yourself humming on the walk back to the car.
Then comes ‘If I Don’t Make It Home’. Baum dedicates it to her father, who died four months ago, and the emotion is written across her face for every second of it. Her voice holds, but by the closing bars she is visibly overwhelmed, and the room gives her total silence to get through it. It is the standout moment of the night, and everyone there knows it.
Letellier and Traina lift the room straight back up with a bass solo and a drum solo, the Waterloo roaring them on through both, and ‘Lonely’ picks the pace back up from there. ‘Look Innocent’ and ‘Get With You’ keep climbing, and ‘Tomorrow’ closes the main set with the whole room singing the words back.
Baum tells the crowd that although it’s the last night of the UK tour, the band cannot wait to come back. Shemer mentions their Rock Album of the Year nomination at the 2026 Juno Awards, Canada’s equivalent of the Grammys. They didn’t win it, but on this evidence it won’t be long before they do. ‘Better This Way’ and ‘Devilish Folk’ close out the encore and send everyone home happy.
The timing works out well for The Damn Truth. The deluxe edition of their self-titled album, produced by Bob Rock, is out worldwide through Frontiers Music on 11th September, the day after this show. On this form it will not be long before The Damn Truth are playing much bigger rooms than the Waterloo. Catch them in venues this size while you still can.
Setlist: The Damn Truth, Waterloo Music Bar Blackpool, 6th September 2026
White Rabbit (Jefferson Airplane, entrance tape)
Be Somebody
Killer Whale
Love Outta Luck
Addicted
The Willow
This Is Who We Are Now
All Night Long
If I Don’t Make It Home
Bass solo
Drum solo
Lonely
Look Innocent
Get With You
Tomorrow
Encore:
Better This Way
Devilish Folk
