Concerts Reviews
Fontaines D.C. Bring Romance To A Place Called Vancouver
April 18th was a night for the ages, as one of the year’s most anticipated shows took place at a sold-out Commodore Ballroom. Hailing from Dublin, Ireland, Fontaines D.C. finally brought their Romance Tour to Vancouver. I say finally, because this was a show originally scheduled for last year. Unfortunately, Singer Grian Chatten had suffered a herniated disc and the South and North American dates had to be rescheduled. The postponement clearly affected the band as they felt they’d let down their fans who’d waited so long to witness them perform. So they assured fans when they’d return it would be well worth the wait. And I can say with all honesty, this was one of, if not, the best show I’ve witnessed this year.
Knowing the venue would be packed, I arrived over an hour early, prior to doors opening. Even with that, I wasn’t prepared for the sheer volume of fans present. The line stretched for blocks with a spanning age demographic. Many people find a nostalgic warmth in the band’s sound, which is best described as a love letter to 90’s alternative. The night’s audience even had a few familiar faces in attendance, making the show almost feel more personal. Until last year, I had no idea who Fontaines D.C. was. Scrolling through Youtube, I stumbled upon a video from one of my favourite music channels, Turning The Tables. Vancouver father and son duo Connor and Kevin gave insight while reviewing Fontaines latest, Romance. I was intrigued enough to purchase the LP from my favourite record shop in the city, Neptoon Records. In attendance for the show was some of the Neptoon crew, and knowing this band brought together some of my favourite people felt like a full-circle event.
At 8pm, the night began with roaring cheers as London’s Jadu Heart took stage. Finally experiencing the band after listening to them for over 2 years felt like a privilege. Back in 2023, actor Simon Pegg shared a story on Instagram shouting out the track “I Shimmer,” and I was immediately hooked into the band’s moody, atmospheric sound. For a while, I hoped the group would announce a show in Vancouver, but with time that idea dwindled. When Fontaines announced the reschedule dates I was ecstatic to see Jadu added to the bill and with the performance, it only heightened the experience as the whole. Alex Headford and Diva Jeffrey’s 40 minute set had the Commodore drenched in red lights as they and their bandmates performed like silhouettes in darkness. The performance included albums ranging from Hyper Romance, Derealised, to their latest release POST HEAVEN. Even with such a short performance, I can’t say I was left disappointed, and it seemed Vancouver had the same consensus.
As Jadu’s eclectic performance came to its end, we were moments closer to the performance Vancouver has awaited for almost a year. Swarms of fans collected themselves on the dancefloor, merch lines were at what seemed a record length for the venue and the energy was crescendoing to a fever pitch. 9:15pm arrived and with it, the mounting tension was let loose in an electrifying cheer as Fontaines D.C. graced Vancouver with “Romance”. Carlos, Conor Deegan, and Tom broke in the opening notes of the titular track. Lastly to arrive on the scene was The Man In Black, Grian, who showcased a more mysterious look, with black trench coat and sunglasses, like a character out of The Matrix.
18-tracks spanning the group’s projects dominated the floor with the likes of “Big Shot,” “In The Modern World,” “Big,” and “Roman Holiday,” to name a few. Each song was met with war-cries and lyrics sung so loud it was as though fans were out to replace Grian. Mosh-pits, fights, standing on the shoulders of others. Fontaines brought out the excitement from the sold-out crowd, and it was the textbook definition of a rock show. Aside from the crowd’s insanity, the band put on a stellar performance with every member playing off each other with perfect synergy. Conor (Deegan) and Carlos provided back-up vocals that only heightened Grian’s already mesmerizing vocal prowess. Listening to Grian was the best bits of Liam Gallagher, Thom Yorke, Robert Smith rolled into one. At points, he even took to a guitar and smashing at a tambourine, it was great to know his recovery was in-effect.
After leaving stage with what Fontaines made Vancouver believe was the final song, fans said absolutely not, and began screaming out “Starburtster” and “one more song”. After minutes, Fontaines returned and treated the city with a finale of four songs. The night ended with the song so many cheered on “Starburster,” and was met with collective chaos. From crowd surfers falling in the pit, to shouting out lyrics, it’s like the past hour and a half built to this particular performance. As the night came to a close, myself and many others were left in a state of bittersweet bliss as the performance we waited so long for finally happened. Shuffling through the venue like sheep, so many were left in a high-energy state, while others reflected. Overall, Fontaines D.C. left an incredible mark on the city and with their current trajectory, it won’t be long until the next time we’re treated to their performance will be with an arena show.
Check out our favourite photos from the night or head to our Facebook page for the full gallery!
FONTAINES D.C.
JADU HEART
All Photo Credit: Marquise Monno
Concerts Reviews
LIVE REVIEW: Halestorm in Buenos Aires: A Mountain of Hard Rock
Halestorm, the hard rock band hailing from Pennsylvania returned to Argentina after a decade to launch their latest studio album, titled Everest. The event took place this past March 29 at the Teatro Gran Rivadavia in Buenos Aires.
The night began calmly; the audience trickled in slowly, likely due to the numbered seating, which encouraged many to enter at the last minute. However, as always, the most die-hard fans were inside the theater early. From that same section, and in the absence of a support band, a group of fans spontaneously began singing several of the band’s choruses in unison, delivering impressive vocal performances.
At 9:00 PM, with surgical precision, the first to appear on stage was Arejay Hale (drums), followed by Josh Smith (bass) and Joe Hottinger (guitar). Finally, the frontwoman, singer, guitarist, and keyboardist, Lzzy Hale, made her entrance.
They chose to open with their 2009 debut single, “I Get Off.” They followed up with two more classics, “Love Bites (So Do I)” and “I Miss The Misery.” After these three tracks, it was clear that both the band and the audience were ready to give it their all.
Halestorm continued the set with “Watch Out!” from their latest album, followed by “Black Vultures” from the Vicious LP. Once finished, Lzzy addressed the crowd to recall the band’s participation in the 2025 Black Sabbath tribute in Birmingham. She asked the audience to raise their hands with the classic “metal horns” in memory of Ozzy Osbourne, leading into a cover of “Perry Mason.”
After a massive round of applause, the Americans continued presenting tracks from their new album with “Shiver.” Then—with a dedication from Lzzy to the women in the house—they played “Like a Woman Can,” closing the trio of new songs with “I Gave You Everything.”
At the midpoint of the concert, Lzzy took the mic to sing a fragment of “Familiar Taste of Poison,” showcasing her incredible range and clean high notes, before seamlessly transitioning into “Rain Your Blood On Me.” This highlighted her grittier, “broken” vocal style, proving her immense versatility as a singer.
After a brief break for the rest of the band, Arejay Hale took the spotlight for a drum solo that included his signature giant sticks. The band then returned for “Back From The Dead” and “Wicked Ways.”
The set continued with “K-I-L-L-I-N-G” and “Uncomfortable.” True to the song’s title, the beginning of the latter was the only moment where Lzzy seemed slightly “uncomfortable,” possibly due to a sound issue or a brief memory lapse with the lyrics—nothing serious, and it was resolved within seconds. They closed the main set with the title track of their new album, “Everest.”
After a few minutes of the crowd chanting for more, the band returned with “Freak Like Me,” a true anthem that had the “Freaks” (as the fans are called) jumping in unison. To wind down the night, they opted for “Fallen Star” and the ballad “Here’s To Us,” during which Lzzy Hale donned the Argentine national jersey with Lionel Messi’s number 10.
Thus, Halestorm concluded their third visit to Argentina, delivering a solid, polished, and high-energy show with top-tier sound. They gave their all to both long-time fans and the many new ones in attendance. Hopefully, we won’t have to wait another 10 years to see them again.
Words by Martin Cervetto
Photos by Tute Delacroix (@tutedelacroix)
Concerts Reviews
LIVE REVIEW: Evan Honer Turns the Commodore Into a Living Room Singalong
On March 30, 2026, Commodore Ballroom felt less like a historic venue and more like someone’s packed house party with Evan Honer at the centre of it all.
The night opened with Sam Burchfield, whose warm, rootsy set eased the crowd in. His style leaned into folk and Southern textures, setting a tone that fit neatly with what was coming next.
Honer’s rise still feels a bit unreal when you line it up. A few years ago, he was balancing college life and Division I swimming. Then his cover of “Jersey Giant” by Tyler Childers exploded online, pulling in hundreds of millions of streams and flipping his life overnight. Fast forward to now, and he’s running his own label, recording out of a garage studio, and touring internationally with a catalogue that keeps growing.
That momentum showed up immediately on stage. Honer kicked off his set with a burst of energy (and yes, a backflip!) setting the tone for a night that bounced between chaos and quiet reflection. Backed by a 5-piece band, he moved easily between acoustic moments and full-band arrangements, switching guitars and moods easily.
A big part of the set leaned on his latest album, Everything I Wanted, which marks a shift in his sound. The Americana roots are still there, but there’s a stronger pull toward indie pop and mainstream country. Tracks like the title song turned into full-on crowd moments, with the audience shouting back every word.
What stood out most was how little it mattered whether a song was new or old. Fans knew everything. Tracks from West On I-10 landed just as loudly as newer material, and songs like “Foolin’ Ourselves” and “Too Far Gone” felt like staples rather than throwbacks.
Mid-set, Honer slowed things down and stripped it back. Alone on stage, he played “Brother” and “Mr. Meyers,” both heavy, personal songs. You could feel the room quiet. It’s a risky move in a high-energy set, but it paid off.
He didn’t let things stay heavy for long with “Jersey Giant.” It’s still the song that introduced him to a massive audience, and live, it feels like it belongs to both him and the crowd now.
The encore leaned unexpected, with a cover of “Sugar, We’re Goin Down” by Fall Out Boy that somehow worked perfectly. Honer closed with “IDK Shit About Cars,” sending the room out on a high.
Beyond the music, the night carried a bit more weight. Honer has partnered with PLUS1, with $1 from every ticket supporting the Schizophrenia & Psychosis Action Alliance. It’s a small detail, but it adds context to an artist who clearly thinks beyond the stage.
Check out our favourite photos of the night below or head to our Facebook page for the full gallery!
Upcoming Tour Dates:
March 31 – Seattle, Wash. @ Showbox
April 1 – Portland, Ore. @ Crystal Ballroom
April 3 – San Francisco, Calif. @ The Fillmore
April 4 – Los Angeles, Calif. @ El Rey Theatre
April 5 – San Diego, Calif. @ The Observatory North Park
April 7 – Flagstaff, Ariz. @ Orpheum Theater
April 10 – Tucson, Ariz. @ La Rosa
April 11 – Phoenix, Ariz. @ The Van Buren
April 15 – Tulsa, Okla. @ Cain’s Ballroom
April 16 – Dallas, Texas @ The Echo Lounge & Music Hall
April 18 – Georgetown, Texas @ Two Step Inn
More information on Evan Honer’s website.
EVAN HONER
SAM BURCHFIELD
All Photo Credit: Caroline Charruyer