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: aespa Close North American Tour With a Futuristic Spectacle in Vancouver
My K-pop education continued on October 11 as aespa brought their SYNK : COMPLæXITY Tour to Rogers Arena in Vancouver. After seeing TWICE in January and IVE in August, this was my third concert foray into K-pop. I was excited to see how aespa would compare, and the answer was a little different from my first two experiences. Where TWICE brought the fun and IVE delivered its own polished pop spectacle, aespa leaned into futuristic visuals, heavy electronic production and choreography that rarely let up.
With no opening act, the stage belonged entirely to Karina, Winter, Giselle and Ningning. Vancouver marked the final stop of the North American leg before the group heads to Europe in January, making this the last chance for fans on this side of the Atlantic to see the production for a while.
There had been some concern about Giselle’s participation after she left the stage five songs into the group’s October 9 show at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle. Thankfully, she was back in Vancouver. Both she and Winter mentioned having a cold, but you wouldn’t have known it from their performances. Neither appeared to let it get in the way, and both delivered strong performances throughout the night.
The show opened with “LEMONADE,” immediately filling Rogers Arena with heavy bass, electronic beats and futuristic visuals. The production was massive, but the sound mix occasionally worked against the group. At points, the bass threatened to overpower the vocals, which was frustrating when four singers this capable were onstage.
“Switchblade” and “Whiplash” kept the momentum going before aespa reached back to its 2020 debut single, “Black Mamba.” The choreography remained sharp, and the group’s ability to move between demanding routines and vocal passages without losing its composure was impressive. “WDA (Whole Different Animal)” brought a harder hip-hop edge, with Giselle’s rap standing out against the heavy production.
The concert was divided into five acts, with cinematic video segments building on the group’s fictional universe. The story occasionally felt like a lot to keep up with, particularly for someone who hasn’t followed every chapter of aespa‘s mythology. Still, the visuals gave the show a clear identity. The production had a narrative thread running through it.
The second act offered a welcome change of pace. Karina introduced “Count on Me” on a piano, leading into a softer arrangement that let the members’ voices take centre stage. “Camouflage” and “Angel #48” continued the dreamier stretch. These moments were a reminder that aespa doesn’t need a wall of bass and flashing screens to hold an audience’s attention.
The solo and duet stages were among my favourite parts of the night. Giselle and Ningning brought a relaxed feel to “Lollipop,” while Karina and Winter took a more energetic approach with “Serenade.” Each pairing had its own character, making the performances feel distinct rather than like variations on the same routine.
The four solo performances gave the members even more room to show what they could do. Ningning’s “I Love You But I Gotta Let You Go” built from restrained verses into soaring high notes, while Karina’s “16 Bit” relied on a more understated, moody delivery. Giselle showed a softer side on “BYEB4HELLO,” moving beyond her usual rap role, and Winter’s “Saddle Up” put her choreography and stage confidence front and centre.
These performances made a strong case for the individual personalities within aespa. The group’s sleek, coordinated image is part of its appeal, but seeing the members step outside that format made the concert more interesting.
The heavier material returned with “Armageddon” and “Bite,” followed by a run of choreography-driven performances including “Next Level,” “SHAKIN’” and “Supernova.” The dancers added scale to the show, and the synchronized routines looked particularly effective against the digital scenery. By this point, the production had made its point: aespa knows how to turn its music into a full arena experience.
The pre-encore dance challenge was a fun change of pace, with cameras scanning the crowd and giving fans a chance to show off their moves on the big screens. The segment ended with an (shy) audience singalong to “Roll” before aespa returned for “Yeppi Yeppi” and “’Til We Die.”
As someone still getting to know K-pop, I appreciated the range. The spectacle was impressive, but the quieter songs and individual stages stopped the night from becoming one long sensory overload. The sound mix could have been better, and some of the storyline went over my head, but those were minor complaints in a show packed with strong performances.
TWICE got me curious about K-pop, and IVE gave me another reason to keep exploring it. aespa made a convincing case for sticking around. Their Vancouver show was loud, visually striking and full of personality, with four performers who could hold Rogers Arena’s attention even when the production threatened to steal it. That’s a solid way to close out a North American tour.
Upcoming Aespa – SYNK : COMPLæXITY’ World Tour Dates:
01/14 – Manchester, United Kingdom @ AO Arena
01/16 – London, United Kingdom @ The O2
01/19 – Amsterdam, Netherlands @ Ziggo Dome
01/22 – Stockholm, Sweden @ Avicii Arena
01/24 – Copenhagen, Denmark @ Royal Arena
01/26 – Berlin, Germany @ Uber Arena
01/29 – Milan, Italy @ Unipol Dome
01/31 – Barcelona, Spain @ Palau Sant Jordi
02/02 – Paris, France @ Accor Arena
More information here.
Concerts Reviews
LØLØ Brings her ‘God Forbid a Girl Goes on Tour’ to the Pearl in Vancouver
LØLØ brought her second headlining tour – aptly named “God Forbid a Girl Goes on Tour” – to Vancouver this week, a first for the Canada-born artist. We’ve been a fan since we first heard “Death Wish” back in 2021, which seems like it was yesterday, and we aren’t going to overthink that right now. That being said, we’ve been waiting a long time for this night, and what a show!
We’ve been frequenting The Pearl more and more lately, and like so many others this show was sold out and packed wall-to-wall. There was a small mob for the first opener of the night, Dawson Gamble, and the floor was packed by the time Con the Artist took the stage. When LØLØ appeared, it was all plaid miniskirts and devil horns from the stage to the merch booth.
When the lights went down, LØLØ’s voice boomed over the speakers, narrating excerpts from a journal. LØLØ is not a choreographed, over-polished pop princess. Like so many artists that grew their audience from nothing, she does her best to connect with individuals in the audience. She takes her time, holds their hands, and during one memorable song, brings them on stage to dance.
“I think that people don’t want perfection,” she told Rolling Stone earlier this year. “They just want to see a live show and a special moment.”
LØLØ was very upfront about her adventures online, finding her voice, and time spent during COVID, and from the vibe you have to assume the audience had been there with her the entire time. From “The Floor is Lava” to “Faceplant,” all the hits were covered and sung along to. Speaking of which…
Must Hear Songs by LØLØ (In Our Humble Opinion):
• “death wish” (Single, 2021)
• “Hot Girls in Hell” (falling for robots, 2023)
• “u turn me on (but you give me depression)” (falling for robots, 2023)
• “Let It Go” (A Whole New Sound (Disney), 2024)
Fun fact: LØLØ was featured on a 2024 Disney punk album alongside Simple Plan, Magnolia Park, and Yellow Card, to name a few iconic bands. Check out her version of “Let It Go” from “Frozen.” It’s unexpected and a lot of fun.
LØLØ ‘s first moment of viral fame was her cover of “Hey There Delilah,” updated and sung from Delilah’s perspective. Pulling Con the Artist back on stage for a duet gave the crowd a wonderful, heartfelt moment that was honestly quite touching. Not everyone’s favorite song, but a lovely moment for everyone in the audience.
LØLØ, with several incredible songs in her library and with a stack of “Warped Tour” appearances already in the books, seems poised to breakthrough to the next level. She’s electric on stage, and animated, and we can only dream of the day she is given more space to play. Until then, another highlight concert of 2026, and something to think about until her next visit!
LØLØ Setlist:
• the devil wears converse
• pretty little wreck
• god forbid a girl spits out her feelings!
• THE FLOOR IS LAVA!
• debbie downer
• me with no shirt on
• the punisher
• 2 of us
• u turn me on (but u give me depression)
• faceplant
• Hey There Delilah
• death wish
• delusional darling
• junkie
• DON’T!
• dumbest girl in the world
• wish i was a robot
• hot girls in hell
Check out our favourite photos of the night below or head to our Facebook page for the full gallery. Thanks for attending the show with us and for checking out our review!
LØLØ
All Photo Credit: Jason Martin