Concerts Reviews
From Tears to “Barbie Girl”: Aqua Lights Up Vancouver
The Orpheum Theatre in Vancouver looked more like a neon-lit time capsule Friday night as Aqua kicked off the first date of their Canadian tour. A sold-out crowd filled the historic room to see a band that hold so many memories. It was a reunion with the late-’90s dance-pop group that defined an era of glitter, Euro beats, and tongue-in-cheek bubblegum.
Before the strobes, the pulsing bass, and the candy-coated anthems, the show opened quietly with “Aquarius.” Lene Nystrøm walked onstage with her husband, Søren Rasted, seated at the piano. No beats. No giant cartoon visuals. Just her voice. She was visibly emotional as she sang the night’s first notes, her expression wavering between a smile and tears. It was a striking way to begin: the woman who once sang “Life in plastic, it’s fantastic” starting the night bare and vulnerable.
That didn’t last long, though. By the time René Dif bounded onto the stage for “Back to the 80’s,” the vibe flipped from tender to explosive. Dif, part frontman and part hype man, made it his mission to keep the room moving. He sprinted from side to side, threw high-fives, and at one point went in the crowd to take selfies with fans. If Nystrøm brought the heart, Dif brought the chaos. Together, they were unstoppable.
The setlist was a greatest-hits candy bag, balanced with some deep cuts for the diehards. After easing in, the group hit their early stride with “Around the World” and “My Oh My.” By then, people were dancing in the aisles. Ushers didn’t even bother asking them to back to their seats. The Orpheum had turned into a Eurodance club.
“Turn Back Time” was one of the night’s most powerful moments. Stripped back, it showed just how well Aqua could step outside their usual bounce and deliver something soulful. The darker mood carried into “My Mamma Said,” where Nystrøm’s voice soared over minimal instrumentation, drawing one of the loudest ovations of the night.
Of course, Aqua knew their audience came for the big, sugary hits. “Doctor Jones” brought a chorus of thousands shouting along to the “Doctor Jones, wake up now!” hook. “Cartoon Heroes” turned the theatre into a technicolor singalong, with Dif hamming it up like a Saturday morning cartoon villain. And yes, “Barbie Girl” arrived late in the main set, phones going up instantly. Twenty-eight years after its release, it still works.
One unexpected twist came during René’s mid-show DJ set, which acted as a bridge while the rest of the band caught their breath. It wasn’t long, just enough to keep the energy high, but it showed how seamlessly Aqua has adapted their late-’90s sound to the EDM-heavy landscape of today.
The encore sealed the deal. After “Lollipop (Candyman),” the band closed with “Roses Are Red,” their very first single. It was a perfect full-circle moment, showing that Aqua is a band with history and the kind of staying power most ’90s acts could only dream of.
Between songs, both Nystrøm and Dif shared their gratitude. They recalled playing Vancouver just last summer as part of the PNE Summer Night Concerts and spoke warmly about how Canada has always supported them.
Not everything worked perfectly. The AI-generated graphics displayed on the massive screen behind them felt out of place, like filler from a metaverse startup rather than a pop band with their own distinct visual identity.
Aqua’s story is often reduced to “Barbie Girl” and its kitsch factor, but this show made clear that their impact runs deeper. They’ve sold over 38 million albums worldwide, racked up a billion YouTube views, and last year earned Grammy nominations thanks to their collaboration with Nicki Minaj and Ice Spice. They are not a nostalgia act desperately milking one song. They’re still a global force, and their Vancouver return proved it. If this is how Aqua starts their Canadian tour, 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 Tour Dates:
09/09 Edmonton, AB
09/10 Edmonton, AB
09/12 Calgary, AB
09/15 Saskatoon, SK
09/16 Winnipeg, MB
09/19 Toronto, ON
09/20 Ottawa, ON
09/22 Moncton, NB
09/24 Pickering, ON
09/26 Windsor, ON
09/27 Hamilton, ON
09/28 Kitchener, ON
More info on their website.
AQUA
All Photo Credit: Caroline Charruyer
Concerts Reviews
LIVE REVIEW: AC/DC – Hell’s Still Bellin’
AC/DC. Christ. What’s left to say? Everything’s been said, screamed, tattooed on someone’s bicep already. Doesn’t matter. That’s the whole racket, they never changed, never blinked, and more than fifty years later they’re still the loudest gang in the room.
Growing up, they felt ancient already. I am a 2001 kid. Turns out the joke’s on me: they’re still out there, riffing like it’s ’79, refusing to retire into legend status.
Princess Auto Stadium was packed with about 35000 attendees. Everyone was wearing red twinkling devil’s horns. To warm up the night, The Pretty Reckless started with one of the hits “Death by Rock and Roll.” Some support acts play like they’re grateful for the slot. Taylor Momsen played like she owns the stadium. The hair falling forward, somehow the less you can see of her face the more magnetic she gets. Stage presence isn’t something you learn. She’s just got it.
The band didn’t sound like an opener. Every riff landed with the swagger “Going To Hell” and “Since You’re Gone” kept it burning, and “About You” brought it down to something rawer before the lights cut. By the time The Pretty Reckless walked off, the audience were already screaming AC/DC! AC/DC!
Winnipeggers stood stunned through AC/DC‘s whole set. Angus Young, 71 years old still in that signature blue schoolboy uniform and yellow-and-blue cap, ran wild across the stage, duck-walking like no time had passed at all, genuinely, a dream come true to watch in person.
Meanwhile, the rest of the band, rhythm guitarist Stevie Young, bassist Chris Chaney and drummer Matt Laug stayed largely in the background, keeping the engine running for Angus and Johnson to tear apart.
The production matched the legend, “Hells Bells” arrived with an actual giant bell hanging over the stage. The setlist ran deep: “Thunderstruck,” “Have a Drink on Me,” “Shot in the Dark,” “Stiff Upper Lip,” “Highway to Hell,” “Jailbreak,” “Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap.” Almost every song sounded just as good as the album version. The crowd tore their vocal cords apart singing along to “You Shook Me All Night Long” and “TNT.” “For Those About to Rock (We Salute You)” closed things out with cannons blasting into the night sky.
The house lights came up and nobody moved right away. Smoke still hanging over the stage, ears ringing, horns still lit up red across the stands. Bands this old aren’t supposed to sound this dangerous. They aren’t supposed to still mean it. But AC/DC never got the memo about slowing down, and honestly, thank God for that. I walked out hoarse, deaf, and completely satisfied.
Check out our favourite photos of the night below or head to our Facebook page for the full gallery!
AC/DC
THE PRETTY RECKLESS
All Photo Credit: Nischal Karki
Concerts Reviews
LIVE REVIEW: Party On, Vancouver: Dogstar Sells Out the Vogue Theatre
The Vogue Theatre was packed wall to wall on September 16 as Dogstar rolled into Vancouver, and the excitement was impossible to miss. New York rock band The Backfires kicked things off with a lively opening set, warming up the room before Bret Domrose, Robert Mailhouse and Keanu Reeves stepped onto the stage. Naturally, hundreds of phones immediately went up when Reeves appeared, because Vancouver was not about to let this extremely Keanu moment go undocumented.
Reeves held down the bass, Domrose took on guitar and vocals, and Mailhouse powered the night from behind the drums. While one member may come with a little more star power, Dogstar quickly felt like a proper three-piece instead of a celebrity side project. The chemistry between them was relaxed and natural, with plenty of smiles, glances and little interactions that made it clear they were genuinely happy to be playing together. Reeves frequently wandered across the stage to jam alongside his bandmates, occasionally making his way toward the front and sending another wave of phones into the air.
Dogstar’s story stretches back to Los Angeles in 1991, when Reeves and Mailhouse first started making music together. Domrose later joined the band, and the trio released two albums before going their separate ways in 2002. More than two decades later, they reunited, returned to the stage and released Somewhere Between the Power Lines and Palm Trees in 2023. Now, with their latest album All In Now and another tour underway, Dogstar are giving this chapter of the band far more than a quick nostalgia lap.
The set began with “Siren,” immediately setting an easygoing alt-rock tone for the night. Their cover of The Replacements’ “Can’t Hardly Wait” brought an extra burst of familiarity, while “Punch the Sky” landed with the kind of energy made for a full theatre. Rather than pausing for long speeches, the band kept things moving, letting the music and their chemistry do most of the talking. Domrose’s vocals stayed at the centre of the songs, Mailhouse gave them plenty of drive, and Reeves appeared completely locked into the groove on bass.
Yes, people cheered whenever Reeves moved closer to the edge of the stage. Yes, there was an undeniable thrill in seeing the internet’s favourite human casually rocking out a few feet away. But the attention did not stay on him alone. Domrose and Mailhouse were just as essential to the show, and together the trio delivered a performance that felt tight without becoming overly polished. There was still room for the songs to breathe, for the band to play off one another and for the night to feel a little spontaneous.
A fun surprise arrived during the encore with a roaring cover of The Beatles’ “Helter Skelter.” The band shared that they had only performed it live once before, making it a particularly unexpected way to close the night. The Vogue responded accordingly, singing, cheering and soaking up every last second before the trio left the stage.
More than 30 years after forming, and over two decades after calling it quits, Dogstar are back on the road and clearly having a great time together. That sense of fun was infectious, turning the sold-out show into something warmer and more memorable than a simple celebrity sighting. Vancouver may have arrived ready to see Keanu Reeves play bass, but by the end of the night, Dogstar had given the crowd plenty of reasons to stay invested in the whole band.
Check out our favourite photos of the night below or head to our Facebook page for the full gallery!
DOGSTAR
THE BACKFIRES
All Photo Credit: Heather Horncastle