Saturday night’s Pudding performance took the audience back to the carefree days of childhood snack time 

By Kayla Solway

Toronto-based band Pudding took to the intimate stage of the Dakota Tavern on a mid-October  Saturday night, giving the small crowd an impressive performance of both covers and captivating original songs. The band has been writing original songs and playing the Toronto club circuit since their inception in 2012. The fusion of New Orleans funk with the soul of Chicago blues made for a groovy performance that had the crowd dancing and swaying all night long.

The band kicked the night off with their take on Shakey Ground by The Temptations. John Mavro, lead vocalist and bass player, established Pudding’s high-energy stage presence from the top of the set. His voice started off powerful and only got better throughout the evening as he got more comfortable on the stage. He spent the night moving about the small stage and dancing along with the audience, seamlessly transitioning from one song to the next with the help of the band. 

Justin Binder was no slouch on electric guitar, giving several solos that notably excited the crowd each time he played. Whether they were covering songs like Raspberry Beret by Prince, Tina Turner’s rendition of Proud Mary, originally sung by Creedence Clearwater Revival, or shredding to original pieces like Voodoo disco soul, Look what you done to me and Shake it up, the sound cut through the tavern, filling it with energy. 

Keyboardist Lee Cohen gave a standout performance in Will It Go Round in Circles by Billy Preston, and truly put Pudding’s touch on the classic song by adding their own distinctive funky sound and taking the time to let each other have their solos. By the end of the song Cohen left the crowd wanting more and cheering for his instrumental solos. 

Lewis Spring on the drums provided the perfect backbeat, adapting to the various songs played throughout the evening. Spring’s creative fill-ins and rhythm were just one key factor throughout the night, keeping the audience moving and adding the unique touch that is Pudding. 

The night was a musical adventure featuring legendary covers of the Beatles, Stevie Wonder, Amy Winehouse and many more. Pudding gave every song a unique and fresh twist, like changing up the tempo and experimenting with different instrumental sounds. The crowd crept closer to the stage as the night progressed and the lights dimmed. Although some people left the venue during the break, the ones who stuck around kept the high energy all night long for act two and continued to dance and sing along near the stage. 

Along with covers, the band added a few original songs to the setlist which were equally praiseworthy. This gave the audience a taste of their lyrics and showcased their distinctive groovy sound while still providing the same high-energy funk. 

As the night drew to a close, the band launched into Part-Time Girl, an original song that brought the true Pudding fans to the front of the stage singing along. Even those who didn’t know the song could appreciate the talent of lead singer Mavro as he belted out the lyrics.

The local band infused the small tavern with limitless vitality creating an environment where friends could come together to dance, sing and enjoy live music. Despite the crowd being unfamiliar with certain songs, the audience took this as an opportunity to discover fresh tracks. Those who stuck around till the end of the show left the venue with classics from the ‘70s and ‘80s stuck in their head and a genuine appreciation for the band’s talent and funky vibe.