Festivals
FIFA Fan Festival Vancouver – Kx5 and SG Lewis
The FIFA Fan Festival™ shifted into concert mode on July 17 as Vancouver welcomed one of the festival’s Signature Concert nights. After weeks of blending live music with FIFA World Cup action, Friday’s schedule focused entirely on the evening lineup, giving fans a chance to enjoy a full night of electronic music at the amphitheatre.
The gates opened at 5 p.m., with Shades of Day kicking things odd. Vancouver artist Grayson Repp followed at 6:30 p.m. Repp did exactly what an opening act should do, warming up the growing crowd and setting the tone for the night. As more fans poured into the festival grounds, the atmosphere steadily built toward the evening’s headline performance.
SG Lewis started at 7:30 p.m., bringing his signature mix of house, disco, and electronic pop. His smooth production and dance-friendly set kept the energy climbing, with the audience fully embracing the chance to dance in the new amphitheatre. By the end of his performance, the venue had transformed into a massive outdoor dance floor.
The night’s main attraction arrived at 9 p.m. as Kx5 took over the stage. The collaboration between Deadmau5 and Kaskade has become one of the biggest names in electronic music, and their performance lived up to the anticipation. Massive visuals, pyrotechnics, synchronized lighting, and booming production turned the FIFA Fan Festival into a festival within a festival. Fans packed the amphitheatre from the floor to the lawn, singing along when vocals appeared and raising their hands as the bass echoed across the PNE.
Unlike many of the FIFA Fan Festival days that balanced football broadcasts with music throughout the afternoon, July 17 belonged entirely to the concert experience. From Grayson Repp‘s early set to SG Lewis‘ polished performance and Kx5‘s high-powered finale, the Signature Concert delivered one of the biggest musical highlights of the Vancouver Fan Festival.
Check out our favourite photos of the night below or head to our Facebook page for the full gallery!
Kx5
SG LEWIS
GRAYSON REPP
All Photo Credit: Caroline Charruyer
Festivals
PNE Summer Night Concerts – Nelly
Nelly brought a career-spanning party to Vancouver’s Freedom Mobile Arch on August 26 as part of the PNE Summer Night Concerts, packing more than two decades of hits into a fast-moving set.
DJ Trife got things started with the Derrty Entertainment logo filling the big screens, then quickly brought out the headliner with little buildup. Nelly opened with “Where the Party At,” the Jagged Edge collaboration that launched straight into a run of familiar tracks. “E.I.,” “Air Force Ones,” “Shake Ya Tailfeather,” and “Batter Up” arrived early, with music video clips playing behind him and keeping the show firmly rooted in the era that made him a household name.
The Country Grammar material landed particularly well. Nelly performed the album’s title track with an added beat switch. The set also moved through his later musical evolution. A country-leaning stretch included “Hey Porsche,” “Cruise,” and “Lil Bit,” showing the range of an artist who has spent years crossing between hip-hop, pop, R&B, and country. He continued jumping through his catalogue with tracks such as “Pimp Juice,” “Grillz,” and “Move That Body.”
The biggest singalongs came near the end. “Hot In Herre” turned the Freedom Mobile Arch into a full-on party, followed by a phone-lit performance of “Dilemma.” Nelly closed with “Just a Dream,” ending the show abruptly after roughly an hour with no encore.
The short runtime may have left some fans wanting more, but the crowd still got what they came for: a greatest-hits-heavy celebration of an artist whose music has reached multiple generations.
Check out our favourite photos of the night below or head to our Facebook page for the full gallery!
NELLY
All Photo Credit: Caroline Charruyer
Festivals
PNE Summer Night Concerts – The Beaches
The Beaches have a knack for making a concert feel like hanging out with your funniest friends. Their August 25 stop at the Freedom Mobile Arch, part of the PNE Summer Night Concerts, was no exception.
Before The Beaches even took the stage, they paid tribute to Dolly Parton, who sadly passed away earlier that day. A photo of Parton was displayed on the venue’s big screen, while an extra microphone stand sat onstage with a white cowboy hat resting on top. Dolly’s music played through the venue before the show, making the tribute feel like a quiet but fitting send-off from one group of musicians to another.
This was my third time seeing the Toronto rockers in the past year, with the most recent being their set at All Things Go Toronto earlier this summer. Somehow, they still manage to make every show feel fresh. The songs are catchy, the musicianship is tight, and the banter is half the fun.
Frontwoman Jordan Miller has a natural way of connecting with a crowd. She jokes about relationships, asks for stories from the audience and turns the space into something that feels more like group therapy than a standard rock show. Before “Did I Say Too Much,” Leandra joked that she invited her ex to go to Whistler while they were in Vancouver, shaking her head in shame as the crowd laughed.
The night got a fun surprise when the cast of Off Campus joined the band on stage. A nod to their song “Edge of the Earth” that went viral on social media after appearing on the show.
Of course, “Blame Brett” remained one of the biggest moments of the night. Miller’s invitation to blame the exes was met with a massive response, turning the song into a full-room singalong.
The four members are just as comfortable showing off their musical chops. Kylie Miller and Leandra Earl traded guitar work throughout the set, with the solos during “Can I Call You in the Morning?” standing out.
Three shows in, I still easily understand the appeal. The Beaches know how to write songs people want to sing, but they know how to put on a show, too. At the PNE, they delivered another fun and entertaining night.
Check out our favourite photos of the night below or head to our Facebook page for the full gallery!
THE BEACHES
All Photo Credit: Caroline Charruyer