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
The Offspring Bring ‘Supercharged World Tour” to Vancouver
Born in the *very* early 80’s, I was probably the perfect age to experience The Offspring when they hit it big. I remember when “Pretty Fly for a White Guy” was exploding, and “Why Don’t You Get a Job” was pretty much everywhere for a minute. Remember when Much Music was still a thing that featured music? But for me, the 90’s was the decade of punk/rock songs finding their way into video games and I can’t hear “All I Want” without thinking about Crazy Taxi. I think I played that game to hear that song! Probably not what the game designers had planned, but what do they care? I bought the damn game, take the win!
The Offspring launched 2026 by bringing their Supercharged World Tour to Canada earlier this month, with their second show here in Vancouver. The Offspring are one of those bands you think about when you think of 90’s punk. We just enjoyed Sum 41’s farewell tour last year, and while I hate that they’re gone, others carry on. We’ll never forget you, GOB! Supporting their new record brought their fans out in droves, packing Vancouver’s Rogers Arena.
The Offspring have no shortage of hits, and they rocked their way through them all. Their fans – liberty spikes front and center – had no opportunity to sit or rest from the moment the main attraction hit the stage. Tracks like “Bad Habit,” “Hammerhead,” and “Make It All Right” hit hard. Everyone knew the words, and everyone sang along. Often loudly. Proudly!
Check out our favorite photos of the night below!
Upcoming The Offspring: SUPERCHARGED WORLDWIDE in ‘26 Tour Dates:
Tue Jan 27 — Prince George, BC — CN Centre
Wed Jan 28 — Grande Prairie, AB — Bonnetts Energy Centre
Fri Jan 30 — Edmonton, AB — Rogers Place
Sun Feb 01 — Calgary, AB — Scotiabank Saddledome
Thu Feb 05 — Winnipeg, MB — Canada Life Centre
Fri Feb 06 — Fargo, ND — FARGODOME
Sat Feb 07 — Sioux City, IA — Tyson Events Center
Tue Feb 10 — Evansville, IN — Ford Center
Wed Feb 11 — Grand Rapids, MI — Van Andel Arena
Fri Feb 13 — Hamilton, ON — TD Coliseum
Sat Feb 14 — London, ON — Canada Life Place
Tue Feb 17 — Peterborough, ON — Peterborough Memorial Centre
Thu Feb 19 — Ottawa, ON — Canadian Tire Centre
Sat Feb 21 — Montreal, QC — Bell Centre
Mon Feb 23 — Moncton, NB — Avenir Centre
Tue Feb 24 — Halifax, NS — Scotiabank Centre
More information can be found at TheOffspring.com.
THE OFFSPRING
BAD RELIGION
All Photo Credit: Jason Martin
Concerts Reviews
The Offspring Supercharge Victoria With A Night of Hits
The Offspring kicked off the Canadian leg of their Supercharged World Tour in Victoria on January 22, and from the jump, it felt like more than just another tour stop. For decades, they’ve stood tall in punk rock history, firmly planted on the genre’s Rushmore alongside Green Day, NOFX, and Bad Religion. They even helped spark the rise of one of Canada’s own legends, Sum 41. The timing of this tour couldn’t be better either, landing right after the release of Supercharged, an album that pulls together different eras of the band into one fast, loud, and familiar rush. With a fresh record to celebrate and a hit-stacked catalog that spans generations, it’s easy to see why thousands showed up to sell out the Save-On Foods Memorial Centre.
Even before stepping inside, the night already felt alive. Fans swarmed the area, and more than a few leaned fully into the fun, rocking full Pretty Fly Guy fits. Once inside, that energy expanded. What felt like hundreds instantly turned into thousands, and you could feel it was one of those passing the torch kind of nights. Fans who grew up blasting Smash, Self-Titled, and Ignition brought their kids along to experience the music that helped shape their own teenage years. It didn’t take long to realize this crowd was ready to go off. But before The Offspring hit the stage, punk royalty took over.
“We promised you we’d play here again Victoria, sorry it took us 25 years.” With that, Bad Religion had the room eating out of their hands. The Cali punk icons ripped straight into classics like “Punk Rock Song,” “Recipe For Hate,” and “American Jesus,” keeping the energy sky high from start to finish. Every song hit hard, every chorus was shouted back, and by the time they wrapped up, Victoria was fully primed for what was coming next.
Then, it was go time. The Offspring burst onto the stage and wasted no time, opening with “Come Out and Play.” The reaction was instant. Fans were on their feet in seconds, screaming every word and even belting out the guitar riff like it was second nature. There was no warm up period here, just straight chaos. Noodles made his presence felt without saying a word, flashing Abolish ICE on the back of his guitar, a quiet but powerful reminder of punk’s roots. Front and center, Dexter was unstoppable. Locked in, bursting with energy, and sounding every bit as sharp as he did in the 90s. Any doubts about whether he still had it were gone before the first song even ended.
The setlist was deep, stretching across 20 tracks and touching nearly every major chapter of the band’s career. Smash, Americana, Rise and Fall, and Supercharged all got their moment. Songs like “Bad Habit,” “Hammerhead,” and “Make It All Right” sent the crowd into full meltdown mode. Fans didn’t just sing along, they gave everything back, lyric for lyric, letting the band know exactly how much these songs have meant over the years. The Offspring also kept things unpredictable, tossing in covers that somehow fit perfectly into the madness. “Hey Jude,” “I Wanna Be Sedated,” and even “In the Hall of the Mountain King” popped up. One of the most powerful moments of the night came when Dex sat down at the piano for “Gone Away,” pulling the entire arena into a quiet, emotional pause that hit just as hard as the chaos.
As the night raced toward its finish line, things went nuclear. The final stretch was pure fan service in the best way possible. “Pretty Fly (For a White Guy),” sent the place into celebration mode, and when the encore rolled around with “You’re Gonna Go Far, Kid,” before closing it all out with “Self Esteem,” the building was shaking. During “Far Kid,” a zeppelin balloon floated across the arena flashing the iconic “Dance Fucker Dance” line and the crowd happily obeyed. Confetti erupted during the final chorus, turning the moment into total chaos in the most perfect way. Between moments like that and the relentless energy these legends brought to the stage, it’s easy to understand how they’ve stayed at the top of the genre for so long. The Offspring gave Victoria a night it won’t soon forget, and if this was just the start of the Canadian run, the rest of the country is in for a wild ride.
Check out our favourite photos of the night below or head to our Facebook page for the full gallery!
Upcoming The Offspring: SUPERCHARGED WORLDWIDE in ‘26 Tour Dates:
Sat Jan 24 — Vancouver, BC — Rogers Arena
Sun Jan 25 — Kelowna, BC — Prospera Place
Tue Jan 27 — Prince George, BC — CN Centre
Wed Jan 28 — Grande Prairie, AB — Bonnetts Energy Centre
Fri Jan 30 — Edmonton, AB — Rogers Place
Sun Feb 01 — Calgary, AB — Scotiabank Saddledome
Thu Feb 05 — Winnipeg, MB — Canada Life Centre
Fri Feb 06 — Fargo, ND — FARGODOME
Sat Feb 07 — Sioux City, IA — Tyson Events Center
Tue Feb 10 — Evansville, IN — Ford Center
Wed Feb 11 — Grand Rapids, MI — Van Andel Arena
Fri Feb 13 — Hamilton, ON — TD Coliseum
Sat Feb 14 — London, ON — Canada Life Place
Tue Feb 17 — Peterborough, ON — Peterborough Memorial Centre
Thu Feb 19 — Ottawa, ON — Canadian Tire Centre
Sat Feb 21 — Montreal, QC — Bell Centre
Mon Feb 23 — Moncton, NB — Avenir Centre
Tue Feb 24 — Halifax, NS — Scotiabank Centre
More information at TheOffspring.com.
THE OFFSPRING
All Photo Credit: Marquise Monno