Friday, July 11 at the Broom Factory, Friday’s Child & The Lost Congregation didn’t just play their debut full-band set. They stepped into something bigger. The stage felt less like a proving ground and more like a threshold. The calm was striking. The chemistry was undeniable. And the crowd? All in.

“There was a real sense of calm onstage,” co-founders Krista Van Slingerland and Evan Massey shared after the show. “We’d put in the work to prepare, and there’s a deep trust between us. Mistakes happened, but we met them and moved through with grace and humour.”

For anyone in the room, that trust translated into a performance that felt both grounded and electric, the kind of set that signals not just a good night, but a turning point. Whether it was the slide guitar soaring through The Same (a song that brought them to tears as they played it), or the easy interplay between piano, bass, and voice, the full-band version of Friday’s Child unveiled emotional textures and dynamics that couldn’t exist in duo form alone.

“We always imagined this dual identity,” they explained. “Friday’s Child as a duo, and The Lost Congregation as our live band, kind of like Jason Isbell’s (band) The 400 Unit. Depending on who’s in the Congregation, the sound shifts. It keeps things fresh.”

That spontaneity was on full display. Known for their vulnerable songwriting and rootsy arrangements, Friday’s Child didn’t just expand their sound, they deepened it. Songs were reshaped in real time. Familiar melodies found new grooves. The full-band chemistry felt guided as if it were their self-described “north star,” while also introducing fans to a more cinematic vision of what this project can be.

Even the band name carries weight. “The Lost Congregation is a bit of a nod to our departure from our religious upbringing,” they said. “It hints at reclaiming our spirituality through music.”

That reclamation felt real on stage; a communion of sorts between band and audience. And it’s only the beginning. The group is currently working to finish Broken Home (vol. 1), and brainstorming innovative ways to tour sustainably while keeping their live experience intimate and meaningful.

“It felt like we were stepping into the future we’d imagined for ourselves,” they said. “And we know this is just the beginning.” Posted: Jul 15, 2025