NuFunk Concerts presents
Friday September 4th, 2026
WASSABI COLLECTIVE (Vancouver)
DJ Rollin’ Cash
plus special guest musicians from The Chameleon Project, Contact & Reggaddiction
BSMT 254 – 254 Lansdowne Ave, Toronto
Tickets / Facebook / Video
On Friday, September 4, 2026, NuFunk Concerts presents the long-awaited Toronto return of The Wassabi Collective, one of Canada’s most beloved and eccentric live acts, for a rare night of explosive funk, reggae, world beats, psychedelic grooves and feel-good musical mayhem at BSMT 254.
Formed on Canada’s West Coast in 2000, Wassabi Collective became known for their genre-defying sound, high-energy performances and unmistakable sense of adventure. For more than a decade, the band crisscrossed Canada in a converted school bus, building a devoted cult following while appearing at major festivals and venues across the country and beyond.
Their journey included legendary festival appearances at Shambhala, Evolve and OM, performances across North America, a feature on PBS’s Roadtrip Nation, and a standout appearance at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics. In 2012, after more than a decade on the road, the band stepped away.
Now, after more than ten years, Wassabi Collective are back!
Led by sultry vocalist and percussionist Melissa Meretsky and frontman and guitarist Brent “Gisto” Hongisto, the reunited collective brings the same infectious energy that made them festival favourites in the first place—music designed to get audiences moving while creating a communal, celebratory atmosphere.
Their sound draws freely from funk, reggae, world music, electronic grooves, psychedelia and dance music, creating the kind of genre-defying experience that is difficult to categorize and impossible to sit still through.
As Exclaim! once described it:
“Wassabi’s joyous sound takes you on a cosmic carpet ride from satisfaction to pure bliss… THE ULTIMATE FEEL GOOD ELIXIR.”
The Toronto performance will feature two sets, with DJ Rollin’ Cash opening the night. With BSMT 254’s intimate capacity, this will be a considerably different experience from the large festival stages where Wassabi built their reputation—and an opportunity for longtime fans and a new generation of listeners to experience the band up close.
“Now they’re back—and spicier than ever.”