RECAP: DEL WATER GAP BRINGS 'CASHING CHIMERA TOUR' TO TORONTO

Del Water Gap brought his ‘Chasing the Chimera World Tour’ to Toronto, ON on January 31, 2026, playing a show at HISTORY that reflected both his growing momentum and the emotional weight of his newest material. Originally scheduled for The Danforth Music Hall, the date was upgraded due to high demand, making Toronto the 12th stop of a 52-show world tour that continues to expand across North America and beyond.

Photos by Kianna Sumitani / Backspin HQ

Opening with ‘Small Town Joan of Arc’, the first track from Chasing the Chimera, Samuel Holden Jaffe immediately drew the fans in. Drapes framed the stage from top to bottom, haze lingering in the lights, creating a soft, cinematic backdrop that stayed consistent throughout the night. The choice to begin with newer material spoke to confidence in the album, and the crowd followed closely, leaning into the words rather than waiting for familiar moments.

The early stretch of the set leaned heavily on Chasing the Chimera, moving through ‘Sorry I Am’, ‘Better Than I Know Myself’, and ‘Please Follow’ with measured pacing. Jaffe’s delivery felt conversational rather than performative, with subtle shifts in intensity that mirrored the record’s themes of self-reflection and instability. The lighting remained restrained, letting the drapes and silhouettes do the work rather than overpowering the songs.

As the set progressed, ‘New Personality’ and ‘Ghost in the Uniform’ brought sharper edges, while ‘Marigolds’ and ‘Beach House’ softened the room again. Midway through the show, Jaffe paused to thank his Canadian audience, sharing a candid moment about feeling welcomed north of the border during a time when he has felt increasingly disconnected from the United States.

One of the most memorable interactions came when he had a fan in the crowd control the lighting during a song, handing over the visual reins and letting the crowd experience the show from a different angle. Later, during ‘Perfume’, Jaffe stepped off the stage and walked directly into the crowd, singing from the floor as the room closed in around him, blurring the line between performer and audience.

A surprise cover of ‘Steal My Girl’ by One Direction shifted the mood, drawing laughter and loud sing-alongs before the set turned toward the songs that first brought many fans to Del Water Gap. ‘How to Live’, ‘All We Ever Do Is Talk’, and ‘Coping On Unemployment’ were met with full-room voices, while ‘Damn’ and ‘High Tops’ kept the momentum steady without breaking the emotional arc of the night.

The show closed with ‘Ode to a Conversation Stuck in Your Throat’, a song that has followed Jaffe from small rooms to larger stages and remains the emotional anchor of his live set. As the final notes rang out, it felt less like a climax and more like a release, the kind of ending that leaves the room suspended for a moment before reality returns.

The Toronto stop marked one of the earliest dates on the North American leg of the ‘Chasing the Chimera World Tour’, which launched on January 15 in Raleigh, NC, and had already passed through cities like Brooklyn, Philadelphia, Boston, Montreal, and Washington, DC. With 52 shows scheduled worldwide, the tour represents the most expansive run of Del Water Gap’s career to date.

As the tour continues west through Vancouver, Los Angeles, and onward to Europe, the Toronto performance felt like a snapshot of an artist still in motion, balancing introspection with connection, and steadily outgrowing the rooms that once defined him. Upcoming Del Water Gap North American Tour Dates

February 3, 2026, Chicago, IL at Riviera Theatre

February 4, 2026, Minneapolis, MN at First Avenue

February 7, 2026, Denver, CO at Ogden Theatre (Sold Out)

February 9, 2026, Salt Lake City, UT at The Depot (Sold Out)

February 11, 2026, Portland, OR at McMenamins Crystal Ballroom

February 12, 2026, Vancouver, BC at Vogue Theatre

February 13, 2026, Seattle, WA at Showbox SoDo

February 15, 2026, San Francisco, CA at The Masonic

February 17, 2026, Los Angeles, CA at The Wiltern

February 20, 2026, San Diego, CA at SOMA – Mainstage

February 21, 2026, Phoenix, AZ at The Van Buren

February 23, 2026, Austin, TX at Stubb’s Waller Creek Amphitheater

February 24, 2026, Dallas, TX at House of Blues Dallas

February 25, 2026, Houston, TX at White Oak Music Hall – Downstairs

February 27, 2026, Nashville, TN at Marathon Music Works

February 28, 2026, Atlanta, GA at Buckhead Theatre (Sold Out)

March 4, 2026, New Haven, CT at College Street Music Hall

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