Concerts Reviews
Everyday’s A Friday When Ice Cube Performs In Vancouver
It’s not every day Vancouver gets a visit from rap royalty, but when Ice Cube rolls through, the city shows up in full force. The Pacific Coliseum was packed with fans of all ages, ready to celebrate Cube’s Four Decades of Attitude Tour. Over the course of the night, Ice Cube delivered a massive 34-track set that spanned his legendary career. If you could name a song, there was a good chance you heard it live. Each moment felt bigger than the last, with surprise after surprise keeping the crowd on its toes. By the final track, it was clear this was one of Vancouver’s standout shows of the year.
From Cripwalking to downing drinks, Ice Cube’s DJ had the crowd fired up, blasting a mix of old and new rap classics that shook the Pacific Coliseum. One glance around the room told you this was going to be a wild night. A line of police officers and firemen stood ready on the floor, prepared for whatever chaos might erupt once Cube hit the stage. As the DJ wrapped up, the crowd’s energy shifted. Fans began chanting “ICE CUBE,” their voices growing louder and more intense with each round. The sound of thousands calling for the legend sent chills through the venue. Then, the lights were cut out. In an instant, chants turned into deafening screams. After months of anticipation, the moment had arrived, Ice Cube was about to take Vancouver by storm.
The show began with a powerful montage projected across the massive video screen, tracing Ice Cube’s journey from his early struggles to his inspirations, culminating in the historic rise of N.W.A. As the final image faded, Cube stormed onto the stage, his presence commanding the room. From his style to his energy, everything about him screamed icon. The crowd erupted, cheering, applauding, and shouting, “That’s my boy, Cube!” like they were welcoming a close friend. Wasting no time, he launched into the explosive opener, “Fuck tha Police.” With a visible line of police officers in the venue, the song carried an extra charge. The audience roared the lyrics, some even directing them straight at the officers, setting the tone for a night fueled by unfiltered energy. Cube kept the N.W.A. vibe rolling with “Dopeman” and “Boyz-N-The-Hood.” During the latter, the energy shifted to a more emotional moment as he paid tribute to the late, great Eazy-E. In a move that stunned the crowd, Cube brought out Lil Eazy-E to perform alongside him. The arena went wild, jaws dropping at the sight. By the end of the song, Cube and Lil E embraced centre stage, a touching tribute that felt like family honouring family.
“Straight Outta Compton” closed out the N.W.A. portion of the night with a bang, wrapping up an opening run so electrifying it’s hard to fully capture without witnessing it yourself. After the track, Cube stepped offstage, and the screens lit up once more, this time taking fans through his journey into the 90s as he launched his solo career. The crowd lit up with smiles and nods, many reliving memories from the era as Cube’s story unfolded before them. When he returned, the arena erupted. Cube unleashed a string of classics, including “Once Upon a Time in the Projects,” “No Vaseline,” and “Check Yo’ Self”. As we reached 1994, Cube talked about how Eazy-E’s loos created sadness, and previous years were too wild. So he decided to write a film, Friday. The introduction led him to the performance of the track which triggered the brains of every audience member to dance. He included a small vignette dedicated to his friend, mentor, the late great John Singleton, who directed the hit film Boyz-N-The-Hood. It was a touching and honourable tribute.
Following, each track sending waves of nostalgia and hype through the crowd. Then came another twist. Cube began talking about his time with a certain “little supergroup” known as Westside Connection. The moment he dropped into “Bow Down,” the energy hit a fever pitch as Dub-C stormed the stage, igniting a frenzy that had the entire venue on its feet. Dub and Ice tore through a relentless run of hits, firing off “Gangsta Nation,” “Natural Born Killaz,” and the hard-hitting “The Gangsta, The Killa and The Dope Dealer,” which famously samples Nine Inch Nails. For 11 straight tracks, Dub held it down alongside Cube, and the crowd matched their energy every step of the way. Whether it was the sheer power of the music or the haze of smoke filling the arena, fans seemed to be on another level entirely. People were dancing like nobody was watching, rapping every lyric to songs they’d grown up with. The high point came with “Ain’t Got No Haters,” after which Cube left the stage, leaving the crowd wondering if the night was over. Vancouver wasn’t having it. Thousands of voices rose in unison, chanting “IT WAS A GOOD DAY!” until the walls practically shook. Moments later, Cube returned with a smile, ready to give the city the encore it had been demanding.
Ice Cube paused to share his love for Vancouver, praising the city, its people, and the electric energy of the crowd. That heartfelt moment led perfectly into the words everyone was waiting for: “It Was A Good Day.” The reaction was instant and explosive. The arena erupted as fans shouted every lyric, turning the track into a full-blown celebration. It was a moment of pure connection, with thousands of voices and memories colliding into one unforgettable experience. To close out the night, Cube shifted gears and performed “It’s My Ego,” a standout from last year’s Man Down album. Even though it was a newer track, the crowd embraced it like a classic, rapping along with the same passion they had for his legendary cuts. It was the perfect high note to end a night that proved Ice Cube’s legacy is as powerful as ever.
As Ice Cube’s night in Vancouver came to a close, thousands of fans poured out of the Pacific Coliseum, many treating the experience like a massive Saturday night family gathering. Conversations buzzed with excitement, and more than a few voices declared it one of the “greatest rap shows ever”. Honestly, it’s hard to disagree. I’ve been to more concerts than I can count, and this one stands near the very top. The energy was unmatched, the setlist packed with career-defining tracks, and the performance so powerful that at times. I wondered if we were witnessing a celebration of Cube’s legacy or a farewell. The production was just as impressive, featuring a rising stage and an upper platform decked out with two green Impala convertibles straight out of the “It Was A Good Day” music video. It was a visual nod to a career that has shaped both music and film, with Cube continuously finding ways to bring people together. For decades, fans have said things like, “We gotta listen to the new Cube,” or “Cube’s got a new movie out,” and that same excitement radiated through this show. If Ice Cube visits your city, all I can say is “You gotta check out Cube live”.
I’d like to thank Ice Cube and his incredible team for allowing us to capture and experience his Four Decades of Attitude Tour. If you’d like to find a future date, or more on the artist, please visit here: Ice Cube Website
Check out our favourite photos of the night below or head to our Facebook page for the full gallery!
ICE CUBE
All Photo Credit: Marquise Monno
Concerts Reviews
LIVE REVIEW: LP Brings ‘All Is Not Lost’ Tour to Vancouver
On September 5, multi platinum singer-songwriter LP brought the All Is Not Lost Tour to Vancouver’s Queen Elizabeth Theatre, delivering a performance that moved effortlessly between vulnerability, power, and pure rock-and-roll energy. The night also carried a special significance: the tour celebrates the 10th anniversary of Lost on You, the record that helped transform LP from a respected songwriter into a global phenomenon.
Known professionally as LP, Laura Pergolizzi has spent years carving out a space that is uniquely their own. Before becoming internationally recognized as a recording artist, LP established themselves as a songwriter for major artists including Rihanna, Christina Aguilera, and Celine Dion. Their own breakthrough came with “Lost on You,” which went to No. 1 in 18 countries and eventually surpassed one billion Spotify streams.
Inside the Queen Elizabeth Theatre, LP’s music felt much more immediate. Their unmistakable voice moved from restrained and intimate to explosive within moments, giving songs such as “Muddy Waters,” “The One That You Love,” and “Lost on You” a sense of urgency that is difficult to recreate outside of a live setting.
The evening’s setlist reflected both sides of LP’s career. The first part moved through newer material and familiar favourites, including “Shelly,” “Tokyo Sunrise,” “Love Is All I Have,” and “Chasing & Waiting.” Later, the performance shifted toward the Lost on You celebration, bringing some of LP’s most recognizable songs into the spotlight.
It was the kind of moment that makes a concert feel bigger than the room. The song that introduced LP’s voice to millions became a shared experience between artist and audience, with the theatre singing along to every familiar line. After nearly a decade of the song living its own life around the world, hearing it performed in a packed Vancouver theatre gave it a renewed sense of intimacy.
From behind the camera, there was another layer to the experience. Photographing LP meant constantly watching for the moments between the obvious ones. The dramatic poses and powerful vocals naturally create striking frames, but some of the strongest images came from the quieter details, the concentration before a verse, a hand wrapped around the microphone, a fleeting expression beneath the stage lights.
LP is an artist who gives a photographer plenty to work with. Their movement across the stage feels instinctive rather than choreographed, and their performance style carries the same unpredictability as their voice. One moment can feel completely still; the next can explode into movement.
That contrast became one of the defining visual elements of the Vancouver show. The Queen Elizabeth Theatre also suited the performance. Rather than feeling distant or oversized, the venue allowed the audience to remain close to the emotional centre of the show. LP could command the room without having to overwhelm it.
There was also a sense of celebration throughout the night. Ten years after Lost on You, LP is still performing the songs that changed the trajectory of their career while continuing to introduce audiences to what’s next. The tour combines material from the upcoming album with a special presentation of Lost on You in its entirety, making the show feel like both a look backward and a step forward.
That balance is what made the Vancouver performance so compelling. LP isn’t simply revisiting an old record. They are showing how those songs have evolved with them and how they continue to resonate with an audience that has grown alongside their music.
By the final moments of the night, the feeling in the theatre was less like watching an artist celebrate an anniversary and more like witnessing a career still in motion.
For me, photographing LP in Vancouver was an opportunity to capture that evolution in real time: the voice, the movement, the vulnerability, and the electricity that has made LP such a distinctive live performer.
Ten years after Lost on You, the LP still has something to say and judging by the way Vancouver listened, people are still more than willing to hear it.
Check out our favourite photos of the night below or head to our Facebook page for the full gallery!
LP
All Photo Credit: Raphael Arthur
Concerts Reviews
LIVE REVIEW: Icons Deep Purple & Kansas Bring A Legendary Celebratory Night of Surprises To Abbotsford’s Rogers Forum
I don’t say this lightly, but both Deep Purple and Kansas absolutely put on a hell of a show. Since 1968, Deep Purple have basically been the godfathers of live rock performance. Don’t believe me? Go look up their Guinness World Record for “loudest concert,” which they snagged back in 1972. That same energy, that same wall of sound, made the trip across five decades and landed right here for the band’s headlining North American tour stop in Abbotsford. Original drummer Ian Paice is still holding it down, now joined by guitarist Simon McBride, bassist Roger Glover, keyboardist Don Airey, and vocalist Ian Gillan. Sure, only one original member remains, but somehow the whole group still nails the spirit of what made Deep Purple, well, Deep Purple.
They tore through 16 tracks that night. “Smoke on the Water” got the loudest reaction of the evening, no surprise there. “Diablo” and “Perfect Strangers” also landed big, and “Highway Star” kicked the whole thing off on an absolute high. And when I say the crowd was into it, I mean it. Fans who’ve followed this band for almost fifty years were pressed right up against the barrier trying to get as close as possible. That closeness paid off too, with an incredible light show and Simon McBride ripping through solo after solo. Honestly, McBride was the highlight more than once, stepping up so Gillan could catch his breath between songs. Given how much those vocals demand, that rest was more than earned.
Like I said, “Smoke on the Water” was the main event for Abbotsford. It’s one thing to describe it, but actually watching the buildup, seeing the bandmates grinning at each other because they knew exactly what was coming, that was priceless. Then those notes kicked in. You know the ones. Every Guitar Center employee’s nightmare. The whole arena became one voice, singing along to a guitar riff like it was a chorus. It was the moment of the night, the kind of thing every rock fan dreams about experiencing live. That wave of energy carried all the way through to the final song, “Hush.” If you were a millennial who spent way too much time on Guitar Hero 2, hearing this one live gave you full goosebumps. This was the band’s first big hit back in 1968, and in 2026 it still hits just as hard. The crowd treated it like more than an encore. It felt like everyone in that room knew they might not get another chance to see Deep Purple live, and they soaked in every second of it. When the house lights finally came up, Abbotsford just stood there in awe. Deep Purple‘s legendary status was on full display, and nobody in that crowd wanted the night to end.
Check out our favourite photos of the night below or head to our Facebook page for the full gallery!
DEEP PURPLE
KANSAS
All Photo Credit: Marquise Monno