Dwayne Gretzky is a Toronto-born cover collective that treats pop history like a live mixtape, swapping singers and instruments with ease.
Toronto roots, big-tent taste
The cast is large and flexible, built to jump from 70s disco to 00s indie without the show feeling like karaoke. Since their pandemic live streams, the band has leaned even harder into community feel, turning big rooms into one long group sing.
Setlist odds and surprises
Expect a sprint through ringers like
Mr. Brightside,
Dancing Queen, and
Africa, with a country-pop left turn on
Man! I Feel Like a Woman!. The crowd skews multigenerational and local-forward, with friend pods, work crews, and birthday groups mixing with out-of-towners chasing the singalong high. Trivia fans note the name is a playful mash-up of a famous action star and a Canadian hockey icon, and the group once ran a nightly lockdown broadcast that bonded a far-flung fan base. Take this as context, not certainty: the song list and production choices described here are inferred from recent patterns and could change on a dime.
The Scene When the Mixtape Comes Alive
Dress code by decade
The scene trends festive but relaxed, with vintage band tees, sharp denim, sequined tops, and the odd hockey sweater nodding to the name.
Little rituals that stick
You will hear full-room chants on the big ones, from the na-na codas to late-chorus claps that land right before the final hits. Newer fans grab the classic logo tee, while veterans hunt for date-stamped posters or setlist prints to mark a milestone night. Groups trade era references in between songs, comparing which version of a hook they grew up with and laughing when a deep cut sneaks in. Phone-out moments happen, but most people opt to belt and dance, giving the floor a casual house-party feel rather than a recital vibe. It is less about idol worship and more about shared memory, which is why birthdays, office crews, and neighbors blend without fuss.
How the Band Makes It Work Live
Vocals up front, band at the ready
On stage,
Dwayne Gretzky leans on multiple strong vocalists, swapping leads so each song lands in the right texture and range. Guitars, keys, and a tight rhythm section keep arrangements faithful, but the band nudges tempos just enough to keep dance floors moving.
Smart tweaks, same rush
When needed, they shift keys slightly to suit the singer while preserving signature riffs, so the hook still hits where your ear expects. Medleys appear as quick two-song pivots, often using a shared drum groove to glide from 80s sparkle to 90s crunch without dead air. Synth patches are era-accurate, from glassy 80s bells to chewy 00s leads, and the bass lines sit forward to drive mass singalongs. Backing vocals are stacked with care, creating wide, chorus-style support that lets the room carry the top line. Visuals tend toward bold color washes and timed strobes on refrains, supporting the music-first approach rather than stealing focus.
Crossovers Worth Chasing
If you like these, youre in the pocket
Fans of
Arkells will vibe with the upbeat, communal rock energy and the way horns or extra percussion punch choruses.
Barenaked Ladies fans overlap thanks to witty crowd play and a Canadian pop-rock throughline that prizes melody.
Shared DNA across scenes
If you like the inventive arrangements and multi-singer format of
Walk Off the Earth, this show scratches a similar itch.
Postmodern Jukebox is a fit for listeners who enjoy era-hopping sets and clever stylistic pivots that still feel familiar. People pulled in by anthems from
The Killers often show up too, since the band nails that cathartic sing-shout zone without pretense. Across these artists, the common thread is crowd-first performance that celebrates songs you know while letting players show real chops.
