Fade Awaays: Garage Rock Revivalists with a Modern Toronto Swagger
If you ever wondered what it would sound like if The Strokes and early Arctic Monkeys moved into a Toronto basement and decided to throw a party—Fade Awaays might be your answer.
Toronto’s own Fade Awaays are helping fuel the next wave of Canadian rock and roll with fuzzed-out guitars, sticky hooks, and a DIY energy that harkens back to early-2000s indie sleaze while keeping one eye firmly on the future. Emerging from high school hallways and local venues in the city’s vibrant indie scene, the band made early noise with energetic live shows and an aesthetic that felt both vintage and vital.
Formed when its members were barely out of their teens, Fade Awaays wasted no time in making themselves known. Their debut EP, Taste of Life, captured the raw charisma of four friends obsessed with riffs, rhythm, and rebellion. Tracks like "Get Along" and "She’s Into Me" delivered punchy melodies and toe-tapping grooves that earned comparisons to the likes of The Libertines and The Hives. But this wasn’t nostalgia—they were carving out their own lane.
With a sound soaked in distortion and swagger, Fade Awaays also stood out for their commitment to DIY culture. They’ve recorded in bedrooms, pressed their own merch, and kept tight with Toronto’s local scene—sharing bills with rising Canadian acts and building grassroots support gig by gig.
Their follow-up releases only added polish to the grit. Songs like “What I Do” and “On My Mind” leaned into post-punk and garage textures while experimenting with mood and space. There’s a maturity growing in their songwriting, but not at the expense of the anthemic choruses or teenage bravado that fans first fell for.
Why They Matter Now
In an era of overproduced pop and TikTok trends, Fade Awaays offer something refreshingly tangible. They’re a band that sweats on stage, that tunes their own guitars, that crowd-surfs at house shows. And with a growing catalogue and increasing tour presence, they're poised to become one of Canada's most promising rock exports.
Where to Start
Taste of Life EP (2018): Raw, youthful, and relentlessly catchy.
"Get Along": An instant indie dancefloor staple.
"She’s Into Me": Fuzzy pop perfection with a splash of Britpop flair.
Follow them on Bandcamp or Spotify to catch their latest releases and see how the sound evolves.
Whether you’re craving sweaty basement rock or something to blast on a late-night drive down the 401, Fade Awaays might be the band to plug into next.
