The Tea Party, Headstones, and Finger Eleven Live In Winnipeg, MB

Three pillars of Canadian rock walked into the Canada Life Centre on December 1, 2025—and walked out having delivered one of Winnipeg’s most triumphant, high-octane spectacles of the year. The Tea Party, Headstones, and Finger Eleven brought their cross-Canada three-way co-headline tour to town, transforming the arena into a living, breathing celebration of decades-deep rock legacies. With no “true” headliner and each band performing like they owned the night, the show felt less like a standard triple bill and more like a heavyweight round-robin, each act raising the bar for the next.

Finger Eleven. All photos by Samuel Stevens.

Finger Eleven opened the evening with precision, power, and the unmistakable sense of a band rediscovering their swagger. Launching straight into “Above” and “Adrenaline,” they immediately pulled the packed arena into their gravitational field. Scott Anderson’s vocals cut sharp through the mix, while the band’s rhythm section—always Finger Eleven’s secret weapon—hit with a muscularity that translated effortlessly to an arena setting.

The crowd ignited during “Falling On” and “Quicksand,” with fans from multiple generations singing every word. There was something particularly special about hearing “One Thing” echo through the rafters, its emotional weight amplified by thousands of voices harmonizing its chorus.

But Finger Eleven are at their best when they’re loose and leaning into their alt-rock instincts, and the run of “Slow Chemical,” “The Mountain,” and “Good Times” reminded Winnipeg exactly why they’re staples of Canadian rock radio. The set closed with a playful, electrifying medley—“That’s All / Paralyzer / Back in Black”—with the band singing the lyrics of "Paralyzer" over AC/DC’s iconic riff. The arena absolutely devoured it. If there was any doubt, Finger Eleven are still a dominant live force… Winnipeg got their answer.

Headstones. All photos by Samuel Stevens.

Then came the Headstones—equal parts snarling punk energy and blues-soaked rock ’n’ roll swagger. Hugh Dillon hit the stage like a grenade with the pin already pulled, tearing into the Travelling Wilburys’ “Tweeter and the Monkey Man” with a punchy, bar-band-on-steroids intensity.

From there, it was off to the races: “Leave It All Behind,” “When Something Stands for Nothing,” and a fiery “Devil’s On Fire / Blow at High Dough” mash-up that paid tribute to their fellow Canadian icons while still dripping with the Headstones’ signature grit.

What made their set unforgettable, though, were the medleys—ambitious, scrappy, and brilliantly unhinged. The centrepiece was a wild ride through “Oh My God! / New Orleans Is Sinking / House of the Rising Sun / Sympathy for the Devil / Time / Oh My God!”—a genre-spanning, decades-spanning detour that showed off the band’s musicianship and Dillon’s charisma in equal measure.

The crowd roared for “Cemetery” before the band launched into another medley—“Unsound / People Are Strange / Unsound”—and then wrapped things up with the shouted-along catharsis of “Smile & Wave.” The Headstones didn’t just perform; they took over. Closing the night was The Tea Party, the perfect counterbalance to the Headstones’ grit and Finger Eleven’s explosive alt-rock polish. The trio stepped into a darkened stage bathed in deep red and gold light, setting a cinematic atmosphere before unleashing “Writing’s on the Wall.”

Where the Headstones were feral, and Finger Eleven were kinetic, The Tea Party were mythic. “The Bazaar” and “Psychopomp” landed with hypnotic force, Jeff Martin’s voice booming like an incantation while the band’s Middle Eastern-infused rock surged through the arena with near-ritualistic intensity.

The Tea Party. All photos by Samuel Stevens.

The night’s emotional core arrived with “The Messenger,” seamlessly weaving in a breathtaking nod to The Tragically Hip’s “Bobcaygeon.” Winnipeg responded with one of the loudest sing-alongs of the entire show.

From there, the set only grew more transcendent. “Save Me,” “Heaven Coming Down,” and a thundering “Temptation” showcased a band as locked-in and theatrical as ever. After a serene “Winter Solstice,” they closed with a sprawling, dramatic “Sister Awake / Paint It Black / Sister Awake” medley—a final reminder of The Tea Party’s unmatched ability to turn rock music into a spiritual spectacle.

Winnipeg has seen plenty of stacked rock lineups, but this one felt special. Three beloved acts—each with their own legacy, their own following, and their own distinct sound—sharing one stage, each treating each of their sets like a headlining performance.

Finger Eleven brought the fire.

Headstones brought the fury.

The Tea Party brought the mystique.

Together, they delivered a night that proved Canadian rock is not only alive—it’s thriving, evolving, and still capable of bringing multiple thousands of people to their feet in collective, cathartic release. A tour like this doesn’t just celebrate the past—it reinforces why these bands continue to command arenas nationwide.