Live Review: Luc Roach and The Midnight Flame
Luc Roach and The Midnight Flame are a local gem electrifying Edmonton’s live music scene.

On September 5, I had the chance to catch Luc Roach and The Midnight Flame live at The Aviary. It was more than just a blues rock concert. It was a full-bodied and incredibly engaging, but also intimate experience with not a single second of boredom.
Edmonton’s local blues-rock gem is quickly carving out a name for themselves, with a sound that fuses classic punk-rock, down to Earth folk, and blues into something completely their own, yet pleasantly familiar to the ear.
At the heart of the band is Luc Roach, the frontman, guitarist, and singer. Together, these components form an instinctive style that drives the element of alluring surprise within his music. Though Luc toured solo in the past, he formed The Midnight Flame as it stands today three years ago. The band is made up of Luc himself, another guitarist, bassist, and a drummer. A classic setup, but one that delivers a massive, textured sound.
Their chemistry is apparent, and it is clear all members harbour talent. Luc Roach and the Midnight Flame currently has many singles available on Spotify. Ranging from heartfelt folk like “You Liked Blue,” to high-octane blues-rock such as “What I Need,” all laced with Luc’s signature authenticity.
The night’s setlist was a perfect showcase of their range. During the set, they played the song, “From Kansas to Tennessee.” It was a romantic folk song that gave the room a moment to catch their breath and lean into the slower paced tune.
But just as quickly, the band turned up the dial all the way with “ELECTRIC,” which was clearly a fan favorite that lives up to its name. The atmospheric shift was instant and thrilling. People were up on their feet, dancing freely, shouting along to every word. It’s no surprise that the crowd called for it with excited urgency. “ELECTRIC” has become one of their defining anthems and is one of their most popular songs online too.
However, what makes Luc and the band so compelling isn’t just the music. It is the air of community they create. The down to Earth presence of the band is a perfect reflection of the music itself: real and inviting. The space felt like a gathering of friends and family, given many people were there in support of someone they knew. This only added to the comfortable enthusiasm of the environment.
Each one of Luc Roach and The Midnight Flame’s songs are undeniably personal. A standout towards the end of the show was “Lucky With You,” a tender tune which, on Spotify, features his girlfriend as the cover photo. Luc later introduced her from the stage along with shouting out his bandmates.
Luc Roach and The Midnight Flame offer more than a fun fusion of genres and lyrical flair. They offer an optimistic feeling of rejuvenation to Edmonton’s live music scene. An outlet of artistic expression which has unfortunately dwindled since pandemic times. Their music sits somewhere between a dive bar dance party and a late night campfire sing along.
In short, my experience was this: swaying to a picturesque folk song between stomping along to a metal riff. And, all along, being enamored by the entertaining stage presence of the band as a whole. Although I was unfamiliar with Luc Roach and The Midnight Flame before attending the show, I would not pass up the opportunity to see them play again.