You know there’s something special going on when Lee’s Palace is already three-quarters full at 8:45 on a Monday night and the first opening band hasn’t even played yet. Let’s just say Boris’ first ever Toronto performance falls into the “something special” category like a dinosaur into a volcano.

Judging by the rows of amplifier towers crowding the stage, the night had an air of massiveness before the first note sunk itself into the eager crowd. People seemed so hyped to finally see the Japanese drone-metal trio (plus touring guitarist Michio Kurihara) that they turned up in due time to witness a rather weak set of middle-of-the-road metal from Chicago’s Nachtmystium. Despite their concerted headbanging efforts, Nachtmystium’s serious lack of shredability elicited only moderate head-nodding from the early concertgoers. Fortunately, the rest of the night would prove to be sheer riff-rock ascension.

But the glory wasn’t all Boris'. Florida’s own junior Melvins, Torche, delivered a monstrous set of low-tuned sludge rock so close in sound and spirit to its inspiration that one would almost hesitate before reaching for that copy of Houdini. But rather than being limited by this similarity, Torche wield the sounds of their progenitors like a baby with a bazooka — all gleefully innocent aural destruction at subsonic frequencies. The heavy-handed rhythm section of drummer Rick Smith and bassist Jonathan Nuñez powered this quartet through most of their excellent sophomore Hydra Head release Meanderthal. They even took the time to trudge through an extensive jam on the album’s extra-murky title track before upending the drums in a fit of droned-out ecstasy.

Which brings us to possibly one of the most anticipated live performances of the summer: Boris. Taking the stage to room full of smoke, Atsuo, Wata, Tekeshi and Kurihara looked and acted the part of full-blown rock stars — waving to the crowd and climbing up over the orange Lucite drum kit.

Opening with the pensive cover “Flower Sun Rain,” Boris began a complete recreation of their latest album Smile. After easing the crowd into the set, the quartet launched straight into a barrage of frenetic riffage: “Buzz-In,” “Laser Beam” and “Statement” were accentuated by the inclusion of obvious crowd favourite “Pink” from their critically-adored 2006 record of the same name. Only the extended jam on “Ka Re Ha Te Ta Sa Ki” a few songs later delivered a more tumultuous burst of energy, which carried the mosh pit through the song’s tireless length.

While “Pink” was only one of two non-Smile tracks to grace Boris’ set, the real acknowledgement of the band’s more informed audience came with the 20-plus-minute take on the album’s untitled final track. Highlighted by its contrasting sections and Wata’s piercing feedback, the exhaustive two-chord drone was enough to induce a sort of spiritual experience not unlike being slowly digested in the belly of a whale — an appropriate end to the evening.

Boris was well worth the wait. Let’s just hope they don’t take another 12 years to come back.

Were you at the show? Let us know what you thought.

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