Concerts Reviews
He’s Here to Make You Miserable: Noah Kahan Sells Out Two Nights at Denver’s Coors Field
Don’t be fooled by the upbeat sound of most Noah Kahan songs. Take a closer look at the lyrics and you’ll find that they are quite the opposite— and he makes sure that you know it. “My name is Noah Kahan, and I’m here to make you miserable” was the first thing he said to Denver’s sold out crowd Saturday night. At the start of June, Kahan embarked on a sold out tour of baseball and football stadiums across the United States, and Saturday was the first of two shows at the Colorado Rockies’ Coors Field. With a setlist heavily featuring tracks from his new album, The Great Divide, and hits from the album that rocketed him into the spotlight, Stick Season, Kahan managed to both shatter and heal over 55,000 fans in the span of two and a half hours.
Indie folk artist Annabelle Dinda kicked off the night with music built on her background in poetry and creative writing. She played her breakout single “The Hand” and treated the crowd to an unreleased song titled “Learn Something Baby”. She handed the evening off to singer-songwriter Gigi Perez, whose emotional lyrics warmed up the crowd for what emotional turmoil lay ahead.
The voice of Perez’s late older sister, Celene, opened her set. A voicemail left by Celene wishing Perez luck on her performance echoed through the stadium before she and her band dove into “Please Be Rude”, off of her debut album At the Beach, in Every Life. “Fable”, an emotionally charged song about her sister followed, along with a cover of Lana Del Rey’s “Summertime Sadness”. Perez closed out her time on stage with her viral hit “Sailor Song”, adding the host city into the lyrics “I can be the cat, baby, Denver you can be the mouse”.
A countdown appeared on the large screen at the back of the stage, along with sketches of ants and ladybugs, a motif present throughout Kahan’s new album and accompanying tour. Members of the stage crew began constructing a life sized cabin on stage, and as the countdown hit zero, a roof descended from the rafters completing the set.
“American Cars,” a tribute to Kahan’s older sister, kicked off his set, and the band was met with roaring cheers as Kahan entered the stage through the front door of the cabin. The first act of Kahan’s set highlighted new releases from The Great Divide, with Stick Season’s “All My Love” woven in. After assuring the crowd that he was going to wipe the smiles off of their faces with his set, Kahan joked that this was his first show without falling or injuring himself. A still-healing cut above his eye from hitting himself with his guitar at his stop in St. Louis was visible, which drew a large laugh from the ballpark.
Act Two of the show brought him to the B Stage, where he played new hits including “Haircut” and “Downfall.” Before heading back to the main stage for Act Three, Kahan hopped off of the stage down to a ringing phone booth. “Vail Resorts? Go fuck yourselves,” was the short and sweet answer to the mock phone call. Coloradans immediately understood the reference and a loud roar ripped through Coors Field. The song “Paul Revere,” off of his album Stick Season, includes the line “Vail bought the mountains, and nothing was the same” in reference to Vail Resorts’ acquisition of several Vermont ski resorts. The song was notably not on the setlist for night one, but Kahan made sure to play it the next night, saying he loves playing the song in Colorado because of his hatred for Vail.
He then brought Perez out to sing “She Calls Me Back” with him on the main stage to begin Act Three. The LED bracelets that were handed out as concert goers entered the venue began to flash red and blue, and sirens echoed in the stadium. Kahan was shoved against a Vermont State Police car by a police officer, arrested, and loaded into the vehicle, and sang “Dial Drunk” from the car.
To start Act Four, Kahan took to the roof of the cabin to perform “Willing and Able,” a song widely interpreted by fans to be about a strained relationship between siblings and a wish to reconcile. The atmosphere quickly shifted to the somber one he promised at the beginning, and it remained through Act 5. The C Stage is where he introduced the song “Orbiter,” telling the crowd about his 2025 Grammy loss, which the song references. Kahan recounted his time at the award show, which included his mom making friends with singer/songwriter Brandi Carlile, while he sat at the table alone and ripped the label off of his beer can.
Throughout the tour, Kahan has been posting on X the day of each show the title of a surprise song for the night followed by “queen?”, referencing a popular meme template that has been making its rounds on the internet since 2021. His first night in Denver broke the pattern and he posted the day before in no uncertain terms— “Young blood tomorrow. Queen.” The song that followed “Orbiter” was just that.
“Young Blood” was the first song that Kahan released off of his debut album Busyhead, and it was the first time he played the song on this tour. The name of Kahan’s mental health non-profit, The Busyhead Project, stems from this album. He has always been outspoken about his own mental health journey, and The Busyhead Project aims to end the stigma around mental health and improve access to resources. Since launching in 2023, they have raised over $6.6M to support 170 community based organizations across the world.
The band was then introduced during “Paid Time Off,” with each member taking a solo at the microphone. The next songs on the C stage were arguably some of his saddest, including unreleased favorite, “Pain is Cold Water,” and “Maine” from Kahan’s EP Cape Elizabeth. He asked the crowd if anyone was there with their best friend, and ended Act Five with “Dan,” the closing track on The Great Divide about his own best friend.
In the final act of the show, Kahan made his way back to the main stage while playing “The View Between Villages”. He gave a shout out to Olympic gold medalist Mikaela Shiffrin who was in attendance, and wrapped the night up with his biggest hits, including “Northern Attitude,” “Orange Juice,” and “New Perspective,” disappearing through the same cabin door that he entered through at the start of the night. Cheers boomed throughout the ballpark, and eventually lights slowly began to reveal Kahan sitting at a piano for an encore. Subtle sounds of crickets chirping began to fill the air, signaling the beginning of “End of August,” the opening track on The Great Divide.
While it’s not quite the end of August yet, the song perfectly encapsulated the evening, the last stretch of a fleeting summer before darker and colder months arrive. But before the crowd dispersed out into the August night, Kahan left Coors Field with fan favorite “Homesick” and closed out the evening with “Stick Season,” ready to make another sold out crowd on Sunday just as miserable.
Check out our favorite photos of the night below or head to our Facebook page for the full gallery!
Noah Kahan has several stops left on his sold out tour.
Upcoming The Great Divide Tour Dates:
8/15 Pasadena, CA Rose Bowl Stadium
8/17 San Diego, CA Petco Park
8/19 Phoenix, AZ Chase Field
8/21 San Francisco, CA Oracle Park
8/25 Sandy, UT America First Field
8/28 Vancouver, BC BC Place
8/30 Seattle, WA T-Mobile Park
8/31 Seattle, WA T-Mobile Park
9/25 Melbourne, AUS Rod Laver Arena
9/26 Melbourne, AUS Rod Laver Arena
9/28 Melbourne, AUS Rod Laver Arena
9/29 Melbourne, AUS Rod Laver Arena
10/2 Sydney, AUS Afterpay Arena
10/3 Sydney, AUS Afterpay Arena
10/5 Sydney, AUS Afterpay Arena
10/6 Sydney, AUS Afterpay Arena
10/9 Auckland, NZ Spark Arena
10/10 Auckland, NZ Spark Arena
11/5 Glasgow, Scotland OVO Hydro
11/6 Glasgow, Scotland OVO Hydro
11/9 Manchester, UK AO Arena
11/10 Manchester, UK AO Arena
11/13 London, UK The O2 Arena
11/14 London, UK The O2 Arena
11/17 London, UK The O2 Arena
11/19 Dublin, IE 3Arena
11/21 Dublin, IE 3Arena
11/22 Dublin, IE 3Arena
11/25 Zürich, Switzerland Hallenstadion
11/26 Cologne, DE Laxness Arena
11/28 Copenhagen, DK Royal Arena
11/29 Stockholm, SE Avicii Arena
12/1 Amsterdam, NL Ziggo Dome
12/2 Amsterdam, NL Ziggo Dome
12/4 Munich, DE Olympiahalle
12/7 Paris, FR Accor Arena
More information here.
NOAH KAHAN
GIGI PEREZ
ANNABELLE DINDA
All Photo Credit: Kelsie Kerr
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