Festivals
All Your Friends Fest 2025: The Artists We’re Most Excited About
This year’s All Your Friends Festival is bringing a wave of nostalgia and fresh energy to Burl’s Creek. It’s the kind of lineup that’ll have you digging out your old iPod Mini and re-learning the words to songs you haven’t screamed since high school. Here’s who we’re most excited to seem, and why they should be on your radar too.
Avril Lavigne
Avril’s back on top and bringing her Greatest Hits Tour to festivals, offering a nostalgic trip through her early 2000s pop-punk anthems. She’s been touring extensively, with shows in Canada drawing large crowds, and seems more energized than ever. She still knows how to command a crowd. Expect a tight mix of hits — Sk8er Boi, Complicated, Girlfriend — with enough fresh cuts to remind you she’s not stuck in the past. She’s finally leaning into her legacy and her present, which makes this set a must-see.
Rise Against
Chicago’s politically charged punks haven’t let up. Rise Against’s 2021 record Nowhere Generation was a sharp and timely reminder that Tim McIlrath still has things to shout about, and their live shows prove they’re not slowing down. Their latest EP, Nowhere Generation II, keeps that same fire going. Seeing Rise Against live is a full-body experience. Their shows feel urgent. Between fan-favourites like Savior and Prayer of the Refugee, and the newer material, the energy never drops. They bring a kind of emotional weight that makes you want to punch the air and start a conversation afterward.
The Veronicas
We weren’t expecting to be this excited about The Veronicas, but here we are. The Aussie twins are leaning into their pop-punk roots again after a few years playing with synths and ballads. Their recent album Gothic Summer feels like it could’ve come out during the Warped Tour heyday, in the best way. It’s raw, catchy, and kind of angry. Their live set is a little chaotic, a little camp, and very fun. Tracks like 4ever and Untouched still go off, but they’ve got newer ones like Perfect that fit right in.
Winona Fighter
This is one of the new names we’re betting big on. Winona Fighter makes gritty, catchy punk with serious attitude. Think early Paramore energy, but messier and weirder, in a good way. Their song “I’m in the Market to Please No One” is a standout: bratty lyrics, gnarly guitars, and a hook that stays with you. They’ve been grinding the DIY circuit and are finally getting some bigger festival love. Their live shows are sweaty and unhinged, like a basement gig with better lighting. If you like your punk loud and unpolished, show up early and catch their set.
Simple Plan
Montreal’s pop-punk sweethearts are still bringing it, two decades deep. They’ve fully leaned into being the soundtrack for millennial angst, and they do it with heart. Simple Plan always feels like a family reunion. Everyone knows the words, everyone’s a little emotional, and you leave sweaty and smiling. Whether it’s Perfect, Welcome to My Life, or I’d Do Anything, they hit that nostalgia nerve just right.
The Starting Line
For anyone who had a MySpace profile pic with side-swept bangs, this one’s for you. The Starting Line hasn’t toured much lately, so catching them here feels like a treat. Say It Like You Mean It still holds up, and “Best of Me” is basically a festival anthem waiting to happen. They’re one of those bands that soundtracked a whole era, and they still deliver.
Relient K
They’re back! Relient K made their name with tongue-in-cheek lyrics and pop-punk hooks, but the band has aged surprisingly well. After a long quiet stretch, they’ve released anniversary vinyls for Mmhmm and Forget and No Slow Down. Their songs feel familiar, but there’s enough self-awareness and charm that it doesn’t feel stale. We’re curious to see how their updated style plays on stage.
State Champs
State Champs are a safe bet for one of the most fun sets of the weekend. Their album Kings of the New Age still holds strong, and their newer album State Champs keep them sounding sharp. These guys know how to pace a show: all hooks, all bounce, no filler. It’s going to be a full singalong, full jump-around set. They’re tight as a band and know how to get a crowd going. Expect big circle pits and lots of smiles.
Boys Like Girls
They’re having a moment again, and we’re not mad about it. Their 2023 album Sunday at Foxwoods leans more alt-rock than emo, but the hooks are still there. Of course, everyone’s going to lose it for The Great Escape and Thunder, and if they play Two Is Better Than One, prepare for tears. They’ve toured heavily in 2024and seem genuinely stoked to be back in the mix. A great pick for anyone who needs a little drama with their pop.
Moneen
This one’s for the emo heads. Moneen’s blend of chaos and melody was always a little ahead of its time. They’ve been doing sporadic reunion shows and still bring serious emotional weight to their sets. Expect lots of feedback, screaming, and passionate fans yelling every word. They might not be a household name, but their cult following is loud for a reason.
More TBA, but this is already stacked. Whether you’re reliving your peak emo years or discovering these bands for the first time, All Your Friends Fest is shaping up to be a sweaty, loud, and deeply cathartic time.
Head to their website for more info.
Festivals
PNE Summer Night Concerts – Pierce The Veil
By the time Pierce The Veil took the stage at Vancouver’s Freedom Mobile Arch on September 5, the place was packed and the anticipation was impossible to miss. As part of the PNE Summer Night Concerts, the San Diego post-hardcore veterans delivered a set that mixed nostalgia and chaos.
The show opened with “May These Noises Startle You in Your Sleep Tonight” and “Hell Above.” From there, the night barely let up. “Bulls in the Bronx” got the crowd going, followed by “Circles” and “I’m Low on Gas and You Need a Jacket.”
There was plenty for longtime fans, too. “I’d Rather Die Than Be Famous,” “Yeah Boy and Doll Face” and “Floral & Fading” reached back into the band’s catalog, while their cover of the Pixies’ “Where Is My Mind?” provided one of the evening’s fun surprises.
Visually, Pierce The Veil made the most of the outdoor stage. Tony Perry and Jaime Preciado were constantly moving, throwing themselves around the stage with guitars in hand, while drummer Loniel Robinson provided the thunder behind them. At the centre was Vic Fuentes, whose voice still carries the emotional weight that has defined the band since its early days.
The emotional high point came with “Hold On Till May,” a song that has become deeply personal for many fans as phones went into the air and voices rose across the venue. Predictably, the place lost its mind when they ended with “King for a Day.”
After nearly 20 years, Pierce The Veil still know exactly what their music means to their fans. On this night, Vancouver gave that love right back.
Check out our favourite photos of the night below or head to our Facebook page for the full gallery!
PIERCE THE VEIL
All Photo Credit: Kelli Rothwell
Festivals
PNE Summer Night Concerts – Train
After almost 10 years away, Train made its highly anticipated return to Vancouver, taking the stage at the PNE as part of the Summer Nights series for an electric night of nostalgia, energy and some of the band’s biggest hits. Nearly 10,000 fans packed the venue to welcome the group back to the city.
With nearly 33 years of performing together, Train proved that its signature sound and undeniable stage presence remain as strong as ever. Currently on the Drops of Jupiter: 25 Years in the Atmosphere Tour, the band is celebrating the 25th anniversary of its iconic album with a set that served as both a celebration of its enduring catalogue and a reminder of why these songs have remained fan favourites for decades.
Opening with “Calling All Angels,” the band quickly launched into a crowd-pleasing run of classics, including “Hey, Soul Sister,” “Marry Me” and “Drive By.” Throughout the night, the set balanced humour and heart, with frontman Pat Monahan connecting with the crowd and reflecting the warmth and personality that have become synonymous with Train’s live performances.
The night ultimately came full circle with the song that started the 25th-anniversary celebration: “Drops of Jupiter.” As the familiar opening notes rang out across the PNE, nearly 10,000 voices joined in, creating a fitting finale to a night that celebrated not only one of Train’s most beloved albums, but an iconic career spanning more than three decades.
Check our our favourite photos of the night below or head to our Facebook page for the full gallery!
TRAIN
All Photo Credit : Jill Meagher