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: 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