Festivals
All Things Go Toronto 2025 – Day One Recap & Photos
It might be October, but All Things Go 2025 brought full summer energy to Toronto. The Budweiser Stage felt like it had been teleported to July with warm sun, endless smiles, and a crowd that felt more like a community than a festival audience. Everywhere you looked, people were making friendship bracelets at the Kandies World tent, dancing to DJ Levi’s remixes, and having a good time. Toronto showed up for the festival’s Canadian debut, and the all-female Day 1 lineup delivered exactly the kind of vibe All Things Go is known for.
EMEI opened the day, bouncing onto the stage with a kind of energy that made you forget it was barely noon. She was clearly having fun, dancing across the stage and winning over a still-filling crowd. Even though it was early, those who showed up were rewarded. She threw in a new song, “What’s the Point?”, and even covered Carly Rae Jepsen’s “Call Me Maybe,” which hit perfectly for a Toronto crowd. EMEI’s enthusiasm was contagious, and she proved she’s one to watch live.
ELIO followed, bringing a hometown glow to the stage. With her guitar in hand, she mixed synthy bedroom pop with emotional grit. Her set felt personal, like she was letting the crowd in on her mind. She performed her hit song “Charger,” a track that features her mentor Charli XCX. The audience responded with steady cheers, proud to see one of their own shining.
Julia Wolf amped things up next, trading pop for something louder and bolder. She tore through her set with sharp confidence. Her rock-leaning sound catching everyone bobbing their heads. Between songs, she thanked the crowd for showing up early to her set. Gratitude was her theme, but power was her presence.
Blondshell continued the shift to a rawer sound. Dressed in a vintage Miley Cyrus “Wonder World Tour 2009” tee, she looked as cool as she sounded. Her songs hit like diary entries read through a distortion pedal, intimate but unapologetic.
Then came Chelsea Cutler, and the festival hit peak singalong mode. A quick mic hiccup at the start didn’t faze her. She laughed it off and earned a cheer once her voice came through clear. She mentioned performing at another All Things Go the week before, joking, “If I wasn’t gay before seeing The Marías…” which got the loudest laugh of the afternoon. Chelsea’s set mixed fan favourites like “Your Shirt” and “Crazier Things” with two great covers: Olivia Dean’s “Man I Need,” a song that brings her peace, and The Killers’ “Mr. Brightside.” Between songs, she opened up about nerves and gratitude, making her already emotional songs hit even harder.
Ravyn Lenae arrived right on time for sunset. Bathed in soft orange light, she looked like she was born for the stage: elegant and locked into every note. Her voice floated over the crowd like silk, especially during “I Wish,” a song she called the hardest she’s ever written, dedicated to her father. She thanked old fans and new ones alike, radiating the calm confidence of an artist stepping into her moment.
In between sets, the festival kept things light with “Kiss Cam” moments on the big screen. Each one was met with massive cheers from the crowd.
Then came the chaos. Remi Wolf turned Budweiser Stage into a full-on carnival. Her stage was covered in flowers, she wore a tutu, and she immediately declared, “Our job is to keep the party fucking going!” before leading the crowd through a “warm-up” routine that included fanning yourself and “slapping your vagina.” It was pure Remi, wild and hilarious. She even hopped on the drums mid-set and surprised fans by bringing Julia Wolf back on stage for a “Wolf Squared” moment. “Disco Man” was the true crowd explosion. She wrapped things up leaving everyone buzzing and ready for the headliner.
Reneé Rapp closed the night like a star who knows exactly who she is. Before she appeared, screens lit up with a message encouraging donations Save The Children, a charity partnered with her tour. Then a short video introducing her playing herself and other characters pressuring her to release a new single. It ended with her screaming “I need everyone to fucking leave me alone!” When she finally emerged, rising from behind a three-tiered star platform, the place erupted. Fans, many who had camped out since the night before, lost it.
Her set swung between rock-driven anthems and stripped piano ballads. “Leave Me Alone” set the tone, confident and biting. For “Isn’t It Funny” and “Sometimes,” she sat at the piano, showing off the kind of raw power that doesn’t need a light show. She talked openly about heartbreak and friendship breakups, calling “poison poison” her revenge era song and “lessons learned” her reflection era. “Good Girl” ended with a searing guitar solo that brought the house down.
Then came the night’s big surprise: Role Model stepped out during “At Least I’m Hot.” The crowd went absolutely feral. It was a perfect tease for Day 2, leaving everyone wondering who would be Role Model’s Sally tomorrow?
As the crowd spilled out of the gates, Day 1 had felt like a statement. Every act was a woman, every fan was respected, and every moment felt like joy. Call it what you want, but “Lesbopalooza” fits just fine.
Stay tuned for our recap of Day 2!
Check out our favourite photos of the day below or head to our Facebook page for the full gallery!
RENEÉ RAPP
REMI WOLF
RAVYN LENAE
CHELSEA CUTLER
BLONDSHELL
JULIA WOLF
ELIO
EMEI
FESTIVAL
All Photo Credit: Caroline Charruyer
Festivals
FIFA Fan Festival™ Vancouver – Walk Off The Earth, Fionn, Felix Cartal, and France Fans
The FIFA Fan Festival™ at the PNE kept the World Cup excitement rolling on Saturday, July 4, as fans gathered for another full day of football, live music, and celebrations. With two Round of 16 matches on the giant screens and a lineup of Canadian artists filling the Amphitheatre Stage, the atmosphere remained lively from morning through the evening.
The day had already delivered plenty of drama before the concerts began. Morocco had stunned host nation Canada earlier in the day to book a place in the quarter-finals, ending Canada’s historic World Cup run after its first-ever appearance in the Round of 16. A few hours later, France defeated Paraguay to secure the final quarter-final spot, setting up a meeting with Morocco in one of the tournament’s most intriguing matchups. As the final whistle blew, fans quickly shifted their attention from the football to the music just a few steps away.
Vancouver-based band Fionn, consisting of twins Alanna and Brianne Finn-Morris, was first on stage, offering an engaging performance that fit the late afternoon perfectly. Their warm vocals and heartfelt indie-pop songs gave the crowd a chance to catch their breath after another emotional day of World Cup action. Many fans who had spent hours watching the matches stayed put, creating an attentive audience that truly enjoyed the show.
Right after, Walk Off The Earth took over and instantly changed the pace. The Ontario group has built its reputation on creative arrangements and infectious energy, and they delivered exactly that. Their performance blended pop, rock, folk, and plenty of crowd interaction, turning the Amphitheatre into a giant singalong. The band’s playful chemistry and multi-instrumental approach kept fans engaged from start to finish, with many dancing along and singing every word.
At the Park Stage, Vancouver-born DJ and producer Felix Cartal took over. A familiar face on festival lineups across the country, Cartal delivered a polished electronic set that kept fans dancing until the festival closed. His mix of melodic house, upbeat remixes, and crowd-pleasing drops provided the perfect soundtrack to cap off a day that had already been packed with football drama and live music.
The FIFA Fan Festival has consistently shown that it offers far more than football. Saturday’s schedule paired knockout-stage drama with live performances that gave supporters another reason to stay long after the matches had ended. Even with Canada’s elimination still fresh in many minds, the festival remained a welcoming place to celebrate the global game, discover Canadian talent, and enjoy a summer evening surrounded by thousands of fellow fans. With the quarter-finals now set, anticipation continued to build for another unforgettable week at Vancouver’s Fan Festival.
Check out our favourite photos of the night below or head to our Facebook page for the full gallery!
WALK OFF THE EARTH
FIONN
FELIX CARTAL
FRANCE FANS
All Photo Credit: Caroline Charruyer
Festivals
Montréal Jazz Festival 2026 – Patrick Watson
July 3, 2026
If you thought the outdoor main stage at Jazz Fest was packed earlier in the week, it had absolutely nothing on the sea of people that squeezed into the Place des Festivals for Patrick Watson. The site was packed right to the limit. The last time he played the festival back in 2021, it was to a strictly limited, socially distanced crowd, and he actually took a moment to contrast that eerie, quiet landscape with the overwhelming wall of faces looking back at him this time around. The massive turnout made it feel like the city had just been waiting for the perfect moment to properly welcome him back.
The whole night felt like a massive, curated homecoming celebration with his favourite people on earth. By the third song, he already had the crowd cheering when he brought out Montreal’s own Martha Wainwright, who has been heavily involved in the local scene and festival circuit this year, to share the stage. Right after that, he raised the bar even higher by bringing up a string quartet for a stunning performance of “Ode to Vivian.” He took a second to tell the story behind the track, explaining how it was inspired by the street photographer Vivian Maier, who secretly kept her incredible work to herself until she passed, only to posthumously become an inspiration to thousands of photographers worldwide.
The emotional peak of the set came during “To Build a Home.” Watson talked about how deeply the experience of growing up in Montreal shaped him both as a person and a musician, noting that his music could only ever be written in a city with this exact type of creative spirit. As the song played, vintage 1960s video footage of Montreal rolled across the massive backdrops, which gave the whole performance an incredibly nostalgic, cinematic weight. He kept the collaborations rolling through the night, too, pulling the brilliant November Ultra onto the stage for “Silencio,” and later bringing out the rising indie-folk artist Solann.
The years might be passing, but Patrick Watson proves every time he steps on a stage that he remains an absolute force of nature. He doesn’t care about shifting trends; he just cares about his craft. A few people floating around the crowd might have been a little disappointed not to hear some of the older classics like “Lighthouse” or “The Great Escape,” but honestly, what better setting is there to test out your newest material than the Montreal Jazz Festival in front of your home crowd? Besides, when the performance is that stunning from start to finish, you really can’t be mad about it.
Check out our favourite photos of the night below or head to our Facebook page for the full gallery!
PATRICK WATSON
All Photo Credit: Andres Amaya