Concerts Reviews
From Liberia to Vancouver: Mon Rovîa’s Music Hits Home
Vancouver got a little quieter on July 7. Not because people stopped talking, but because they were listening. At the Commodore Ballroom, a full house showed up for Heal With Others Tour: Continued, and Mon Rovîa made sure every person in the room felt seen and heard.
Mon Rovîa isn’t your typical folk artist. Born in Monrovia, Liberia during a civil war and adopted by missionaries to the U.S. as a child, his story is one of survival and searching, for identity, for peace, for a home. Now based in Chattanooga, Tennessee, Mon Rovîa has built a sound he calls Afro-Appalachian folk: grounded in West African rhythm and soul, layered with Appalachian strings and gospel spirit. It’s a mix that doesn’t just invite you to listen, it asks you to feel.
The night opened with local opener Ryan Harris. He set the tone with a soft, sincere solo set that felt like a warm journal entry. Based in Whistler, Harris makes music from his bedroom studio. His gentle guitar work and laid-back presence gave early arrivals a chance to settle in. With songs influenced by his childhood spent surfing between Canada, New Zealand, and Australia, Harris channels the mellow spirit of Ben Howard and Jack Johnson, but with a distinctly Pacific Northwest soul.
Then Mon Rovîa walked onstage. No big entrance. No flashy graphics. Just a quiet confidence and a deep breath, like he was preparing to tell us the truth.
His set opened with “outlaw,” and “cleopatra.” Midway through, he played “crooked the road,” his breakout hit that took off on TikTok. On the surface, it’s a breakup song. But live, it felt like more than that. The chorus “If you’re leaving, know I’ll stay beside that telephone line” spoke to anyone who’s ever waited for hope to call them back. People sang like they meant it.
Between songs, Mon Rovîa talked about mental health, loss and grief. He encouraged everyone to be who they are in this safe space, sharing this quote “I tried to fit into the world, and I starved.”
He played most of his Act 4: Atonement EP, including “Rust” and “winter wash,” a song that wrestles with the mental whiplash of modern life. The set was stripped down to the raw essentials: voice, guitar, and emotion.
What makes a Mon Rovîa show different is that it doesn’t feel like performance. It feels like church. Not the dogmatic kind, but the kind where strangers sit in pews and remind each other they’re not alone. He closed the night with “jester int he bowl.”
With nearly two million monthly listeners and a growing following, Mon Rovîa is clearly having a moment. But you don’t leave his concert thinking about numbers. You leave thinking about your own story , the pain you carry, the people you love, and the small, sacred chance to heal with others.
In a world that feels like it’s always breaking, Mon Rovîa is the reminder that music can help you put something back together. Quietly, honestly, one note at a time.
Check out our favourite photos of the night below or head to our Facebook page for the full gallery!
MON ROVIA
RYAN HARRIS
All Photo Credit: Caroline Charruyer
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