A borrowed bass and a stack of paper: Emma Harner and preyhound in Toronto

Emma Harner and preyhound performed at Toronto's Garrison on 20 September 2026, the Toronto date of her Evening Star tour. She had announced in August that she was cancelling the European and UK leg for financial reasons, which left Toronto on a shortened North American run. preyhound, whose real name is Sam Anderson, is an indie folk multi-instrumentalist from a suburb near Los Angeles, California. Her musical versatility shone through the whole show when she played a Strandberg guitar for her own set and then a bass guitar and flute for Emma Harner, the headliner and math folk artist from Lincoln, Nebraska. Both artists had clear, soaring vocals, and a masterful control of the notes.

The merch table

preyhound's merch was free, posters, an ink stamp, and a pair of underwear which was claimed by one lucky fan. Emma had limited space in her travelling suitcase for her merch and was sold out by the Toronto show. She made up for it with a big stack of paper where she wrote, "I saw Emma Harner and preyhound in Toronto and all I got was this sheet of paper." Excited fans immediately rushed to the merch table to grab the last few remaining posters.

preyhound

This was preyhound's first time in Canada. She started with songs from her debut album, "sand dollars in a silver pail" released in October 2024. As she sang, the audience was at a standstill, letting the lyrics sink in. She is a storyteller, her music was confessional and introspective. She shared how endlessly thankful she was for the opportunities to travel and make music, and her passion was evident through her music. She channeled her deepest emotions into her voice and guitar, sharing songs of love and songs of anger. Her songs are relatable. "A perfect friend" was about how we all try to be a perfect friend but there still has to be something left for you. She performed her recent release "lovely day" and ended the set with her favourite song she has written, "cigarette song", one that she said mirrored who she is and what her vibes were.

She asked the audience who played guitar and many people raised their hands, which she said she had expected at an Emma Harner concert. preyhound's easy-going personality and humour was on the same wavelength as Emma Harner's, which made them a perfect fit on tour. Their chemistry made even more sense after Emma explained she was in a band with Sam along with guitarist Luke Colombero, and drummer Bradley Fiske. The four of them make up the Little Plastic Dinosaurs, a math/indie rock band.

Emma Harner

Emma Harner, from Nebraska, began playing guitar at the start of the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020, and later attended Berklee College of Music in Boston. Emma was wearing a skirt, thrifted earlier that day, and a mood ring shining dark blue, inviting listeners to feel a deep happiness, accepted and welcome.

For the guitar enthusiasts in the crowd, she explained her tuning for each song. For example with "The Opposite", she said with a smile, "The next song is in drop d tuning, D-A-D-G-B… obviously," which sent a wave of laughter through the crowd. She had the full attention of the room, her dreamy vocals echoing through the venue.

The bass gives out

Halfway through the show, Sam's bass guitar ran out of battery. Emma jokingly asked the audience if anyone could help them since she always had random things in her purse. They continued with another song, with Sam playing the flute and Emma saying, "Let us mourn the loss of the bass with a sad song." The echoes of the vocals and the flute created a vivid and ethereal soundscape, reaching deep into people's feelings. When the song ended, someone brought their bass up to the stage and Emma quoted a lyric from "You're Right", the song they had just finished. "Sometimes the world can be so mean. Glad I got you next to me…Sam and the guy with the bass!" The crowd cheered and as they set up the borrowed bass guitar in the hot and humid room, Emma politely asked for the A/C gods to bless the room with cool air, and the bartender came through.

The music continued into the night with the help of a man's bass guitar, the crowd still eager for Emma's final songs. Throughout the concert, the venue was full, and through their music, preyhound and Emma Harner brought with them a magical space, an intimate conversation between the performers and each individual in the room, a place of laughter, of reflection, of community and of belonging.