A Primitive Evolution sets first European show in Spain
Canadian dark alternative rock band A Primitive Evolution plays its first European show on 17 October at Pro Weekend Festival in Castellon, Spain.
© 2018 Dash Revery
Toronto dark alternative rock band A Primitive Evolution will play its first European live show on 17 October at La Bohemia in Castellón de la Plana, Spain. The appearance is part of a Rock and Metal Alliance event at Pro Weekend Festival, running in the city from 14 to 17 October. A Primitive Evolution records for Metropolis Records.
Tour date for A Primitive Evolution
- 17 October 2026 – La Bohemia, Castellón de la Plana, Spain (Rock and Metal Alliance event, Pro Weekend Festival)
Tickets are available through Weeztix via proweekendfest.com.
Led by Brett Carruthers, A Primitive Evolution signed to Metropolis Records in 2018 for its third album, “Becoming”, which mixed rock, metal and electronica with influences the band has named as Nine Inch Nails, The Cure, Tool, The Prodigy, Ministry, Radiohead and Alice in Chains. A cover of Motörhead’s “Ace Of Spades” followed as a single in early 2023 and carried the band onto North American tour dates that spring supporting Sisters Of Mercy.
The Spain show lands while the band works on a new album. Carruthers said: “We’ve spent a long time building this band, and finally having an opportunity to bring A Primitive Evolution to Europe is a huge moment for us. We’re excited to play in Spain, meet people who make up the wider European music community, and start building the relationships that can help take this band to the next level.”
The booking comes through the Rock and Metal Alliance, which has worked with A Primitive Evolution in Canada before and is using the Spain date to connect the band with European promoters, media and other acts on the circuit.
About A Primitive Evolution
A Primitive Evolution formed in Toronto, Ontario, in 2007 around vocalist, guitarist and keyboard player Brett Carruthers, bassist and cellist Stephany Seki and drummer Stu Dead. The band released a self-titled debut album in 2009 and followed it with “The Prize” in September 2012. In 2008 the group played a Canadian Music Week event at the Bovine Sex Club, and in 2009 Carruthers founded Toronto’s VIVA LOS MUERTOS festival.
Metropolis Records signed A Primitive Evolution for “Becoming”, released on 5 October 2018 as the band’s first release on the label. Keyboard player Owen Mackinder joined in 2019, the same year A Primitive Evolution took its first major North American tour, opening for labelmate PIG. The “Ace Of Spades” single and video followed in early 2023, covered at the time by Side-Line in ‘Canadian industrial rock act A Primitive Evolution lands new single ‘Ace Of Spades’ on Metropolis’ and ‘Canadian dark rock band A Primitive Evolution launches ‘Ace Of Spades’ video’, and led to the band’s North American dates supporting Sisters Of Mercy that spring.
Carruthers has also played bass for The Birthday Massacre since 2019, appearing on the band’s three most recent albums and touring with the group across North America and Europe, including the Toronto act’s 2025 album ‘Pathways’. He also works as a record producer and mix engineer, with credits for The Birthday Massacre, USS and Android Meme. He and Seki are also members of the Canadian industrial rock band Econoline Crush. The Pro Weekend Festival date on 17 October is A Primitive Evolution’s first time playing outside North America.
Support Side-Line
More people read Side-Line than ever, and there is still no paywall and no advertising. Readers pay for it instead - from $5 a month.
Why we ask
Advertising revenues across the media are falling fast. Unlike many news organisations we have not put up a paywall, and we refuse to add annoying advertising, so we need to ask for your help. Side-Line’s independent journalism takes time, money and hard work to produce, and we do it to push the artists we like, who are equally fighting to survive.
Handled by PayPal.
Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!
