Touch X Tour: July Talk and Taylor Jackson - Winnipeg, MB

There’s something special about seeing July Talk in a room like the Burton Cummings Theatre—a venue steeped in history, now shaking under the weight of one of Canada’s most electrifying live acts. On March 20, 2026, the Touch X Tour made its stop in Winnipeg, and for those in attendance, it wasn’t just a concert—it was a full-body experience.

Taylor Jackson. All photos by Samuel Stevens.

Kicking off the night was hometown talent Taylor Jackson, whose set served as a warm and intimate entry point into the evening. There’s always an added layer of connection when a local artist takes the stage, and Jackson embraced that moment fully. Taylor's performance felt both grounded and expansive, drawing in early arrivals with a confident presence and emotionally resonant songwriting that set the tone without overshadowing what was to come. Then came the main event. From the moment July Talk stepped onto the stage, the energy in the theatre shifted. The band dove headfirst into a full front-to-back performance of their second album, Touch, which was released ten years ago, transforming the record into something far more visceral in a live setting. Opening with “Picturing Love,” the band immediately established the push-and-pull dynamic that defines their sound—equal parts tension and release, chaos and control.

Tracks like “Beck + Call” and “Now I Know” carried a magnetic urgency, with the interplay between Leah Fay and Peter Dreimanis acting as the emotional core of the performance, as always. Fay’s unhinged, kinetic stage presence contrasted beautifully with Dreimanis’ gritty, commanding delivery, creating a constant sense of unpredictability that kept the audience locked in.

“Johnny + Mary” offered a haunting, stripped-back moment that hushed the crowd, while “Strange Habit” and “Push + Pull” quickly reignited the room with pulsing intensity. By the time “Lola + Joseph” and “So Sorry” rolled around, the band had the entire theatre in the palm of their hand—every beat, every lyric landing with amplified weight.

Closing the Touch portion with the album's title track, which felt almost cathartic. There’s a narrative thread running through the album, and hearing it performed in sequence gave it a newfound clarity, like watching a story unfold in real time rather than flipping through its pages. But July Talk wasn’t done.

July Talk. All photos by Samuel Stevens.

The second half of the set shifted gears into a celebration of their broader catalogue, and the energy somehow climbed even higher. “Love’s Not Dead” and “Headsick” hit with ferocity, while “I Am Water” provided a moment of introspection amid the chaos. “Certain Father” and “Life of the Party” showcased the band’s range, moving seamlessly between vulnerability and explosive release. “Paper Girl” and “Guns + Ammunition” brought the main set to a thunderous close, leaving the crowd buzzing and hungry for more.

Of course, the encore delivered. “Summer Dress” felt like a communal singalong, a rare moment where the intensity gave way to pure connection. And then came “The Garden”—a fitting, emotional finale that left the room suspended in a kind of quiet awe before erupting into applause.

What makes July Talk so compelling live isn’t just their sound—it’s their commitment. Every movement, every vocal inflection, every moment on stage feels intentional yet completely unrestrained. At the Burton Cummings Theatre, that translated into a performance that was as theatrical as it was raw.

For Winnipeg, it was more than just another tour stop. It was a reminder of what live music can be at its best: immersive, unpredictable, and deeply human.