Concerts Reviews
Korn Turn Rogers Arena Into a Nu-Metal Revival on Kanada Tour
On October 1, Vancouver’s Rogers Arena was packed with fans ready for a night of heaviness, nostalgia, and pure catharsis. Korn’s rolled into town for the last date of the Kanada Tour 2025, marking 32 years since the Bakersfield band first rewired heavy music with their self-titled debut. With Loathe and Gojira in the opening slots, the lineup promised no filler for the last night of this Canadian leg.
Liverpool’s Loathe opened with a storm of layered riffs and grinding grooves. Their brand of atmospheric heaviness veers from crushing to hypnotic, and it hooked the early crowd right away. By the end of their set, cheers rolled through the arena with the kind of enthusiasm usually reserved for bigger names. For many in the building, Loathe was a new discovery, and they left Vancouver with more than a few new converts.
Then came Gojira, and if Loathe cracked the ice, the French quartet shattered it. Bathed in pyro and smoke, they launched into their set with the kind of precision and ferocity that’s made them one of the most respected bands in modern metal. Frontman Joe Duplantier prowled the stage with volcanic intensity, his growls cutting through walls of sound that seemed big enough to shake the rafters. Flames shot skyward during “Flying Whales,” while “Mea Culpa (Ah! Ça ira!)” drew one of the loudest reactions of the night after their amazing Olympics 2024 performance. Duplantier’s defiant anti-fascist message only added weight to the moment.
But the night belonged to Korn. A black curtain cloaked the stage as the first rumble of “Blind” rolled out. Jonathan Davis asked the question he’s been asking audiences for decades: “Are you ready, Vancouver?” And Vancouver absolutely was. When the curtain dropped, the floor erupted into chaos with circle pits and bodies jumping. There is nothing like watching a bunch of people dressed up as corn in a mosh pit!
The setlist was built like a greatest hits package, mixing staples with deeper cuts. “Twist” and “Here to Stay” kept the energy pounding early, while “Got the Life” pulled the crowd back into the wild energy of the late ’90s. Davis moved between guttural roars and vulnerable melodies with ease.
Bagpipes signaled “Shoots and Ladders,” which morphed into a little bit of Metallica’s “One,” a mashup that drew cheers. Later, “Coming Undone” bled into Queen’s “We Will Rock You,” an unexpected twist that had every voice in Rogers Arena chanting along. These playful mashups kept the nostalgia from feeling stale, giving the set flashes of reinvention.
Visually, the show was a feast. Light beams swept the crowd during breakdowns, lasers hit like lightning, and the stage was constantly bathed in violent bursts of color. Davis, part preacher and part ringleader, stalked the stage with his trademark mic stand, while Munky and Brian “Head” Welch delivered riffs that felt as heavy as they did decades ago. If anything, the band leaned into the theatrical side of their catalog but still keeping the grit.
The encore was a masterclass in dynamics. It opened with “4U,” as a tribute to Ozzy Osbourne, a brief and tender reminder that Korn’s catalog isn’t just about rage, before plunging straight back into the darkness with “Falling Away From Me” and “Divine.” By the time “Freak on a Leash” detonated as the closer, the crowd was screaming along with Davis.
Walking out of Rogers Arena, ears ringing and shirts damp with sweat, it felt like a reunion with the soundtrack of adolescence for many in the room. Thirty-two years in, they haven’t softenedand have kept the heaviness that made them a household name in the first place.
Loathe brought discovery, Gojira brought fire, and Korn brought nostalgia. Together, the triple bill made Vancouver feel like the centre of the heavy music universe for one night.
Check out our favourite photos of the night below or head to our Facebook page for the full gallery!
KORN
GOJIRA
LOATHE
All Photo Credit: Caroline Charruyer
Concerts Reviews
LIVE REVIEW: Goldfinger Keep the Pit Moving and the Shoes Flying in Vancouver
On April 17th, the Commodore Ballroom in Vancouver felt like a ska-punk time warp, with California punk legends Goldfinger supporting their new album, Nine Lives.
Sullvn got things rolling with a set that didn’t waste any time. Within minutes, hats were flying into the crowd like it was a merch-based game show, and the vibe quickly turned into organized chaos. They brought to the stage Dicky Barrett, former frontman of Mighty Mighty Bosstones for their hit “Raise a Glass”.
Next up was Broadway Calls, proving once again that a three-piece can absolutely shake a room. Their brand of fast, hooky punk tore through the crowd, with songs like “Call It Off” and “Back to Oregon” landing like instant jolts of energy. By the time they wrapped, the room was fully ready for Goldfinger.
Right away, frontman John Feldmann started doing crowd math. “How many of you are under 20?” A few scattered hands. “Over 40?” A lot more hands. He laughed and proudly stated that to still be doing this 32 years later as the best feeling in the world. This wasn’t a band clinging to nostalgia… but they also weren’t about to ignore it.
From there, it turned into the kind of chaos Goldfinger shows are known for, a non-stop blur of songs, crowd surfers, and, of course, the sacred tradition of shoes flying through the air. Somewhere along the way, footwear stopped being optional and started being part of the performance. Pairs were held up like trophies, launched across the room, or lost to the pit entirely. If you managed to leave with both shoes still accounted for, honestly, that’s a personal victory. The setlist leaned into exactly what people wanted. “Here in Your Bedroom,” “Chasing Amy” “Counting the Days”, all the hits, all loud, all sung back at the band like it was a group project. The floor barely stayed still for more than a few seconds, and the security team definitely got their steps in from the steady stream of crowd surfers.
During “Mable,” they pulled fans up on stage to dance, turning the whole thing into a slightly chaotic, very wholesome party. And then… “Superman.” The reaction was instant. Like, no hesitation, full-body nostalgia. The second it started, it felt like half the room got mentally transported back to playing Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2 in their living rooms. Suddenly, everyone knew every word (even the ones they probably didn’t know they knew), and the energy somehow went up another level. It wasn’t just a highlight, it was the moment.
When it wrapped at the Commodore Ballroom, the place was wrecked in the best way – sweaty, shoeless, and buzzing. Still, no one seemed in any hurry to leave.
Check out our favourite photos of the night below or head to our Facebook page for the full gallery!
GOLDFINGER
BROADWAY CALLS
SULLVN
All Photo Credit: Heather Horncastle
Concerts Reviews
LIVE REVIEW: Face to Face with Sevendust in Riverside, Iowa
For close to thirty years, Hard Rock’s Sevendust has graced hundreds of stages all over the world, playing sell-out shows to rabid fans. The band, fronted by LaJon Witherspoon, has been recognized for its soulful vocals, hard-hitting riffs from Clint Lowery and John Connolly, thumping bass from Vince Hornsby, and monstrous drum sounds and screams from Morgan Rose. Riverside, Iowa was treated to the full Sevendust experience on Friday night.
The Riverside Casino Event Center has played host to events ranging from poker tournaments to keynote speakers, but on Friday it served as the setting for an amazing night of rock. The show started off with Iowa City–local band NonGrata. NonGrata has become very well known in the Eastern Iowa music scene, having opened for bands like Alien Ant Farm, Norma Jean, Archers, and will be opening for DED this summer. Blending groovy guitars with crisp clean vocals and harsh screams, the band delivers a sound that makes you want to jump out of your seat and stage dive. Although Sevendust was the main attraction on Friday night, everyone enjoyed NonGrata. They were a great choice to open the show and get people excited before Sevendust took the stage. NonGrata will be playing shows in Eastern Iowa throughout the year, and Midwest locals should take the chance to see a new band.
After an hour pre-show delay due to the weather, fans were itching to get out of their seats as anticipation for Sevendust taking the stage rose. Riverside was the second show of the One Tour, but there was no sign of early tour woes as the band broke right into Home. The 1999 track off the album of the same name was a great opener, carrying a hint of nostalgia and a whole lot of feeling. Witherspoon made an early effort to cross from side to side, ensuring every fan had the opportunity to interact with him. Stage presence is always among the highlights of a Sevendust show. Fans know they are going to get two things when they go to a Sevendust show: amazing music and plenty of interaction. The great music kept rolling as the second track of the night was a crowd favorite, Denial. The band was joined by hundreds of backup singers who knew every word, creating an ambiance that added essential energy to the environment.
The band seemed emotional in response to how well they were received by the Riverside crowd. After spending significant time in Europe to start the year, Sevendust said it was good to be home. Because these were among the first U.S. shows of the year, American fans had not yet had the opportunity to hear songs from the band’s upcoming album, One, live. The first chance came with the third song of the night, Is This the Real You. Although the Riverside crowd had never heard the song live, that did not stop them from singing along. Sevendust also played two other new tracks from the forthcoming album, Unbreakable and Threshold. Both sounded great live, and anticipation for the new album is high. Based on the reactions to the new material, the album will likely be well received when it comes out in two weeks on May 1.
The focus on new music did not stop Sevendust from breaking into its classics. The setlist was full of songs a Sevendust show would be incomplete without; Praise, Enemy, Waffle, and Black all had their place in the night. It truly was the complete Sevendust experience. The night could not end, however, without an encore of Rumble Fish and Face to Face. Even though the crowd was treated to a 15-song main set and a two-song encore, they still yearned for more. Unfortunately, all good shows must come to an end, but with 25 dates left on the One Tour, there will be plenty of opportunities to see Sevendust again this year.
One comes out May 1.
Check out our favorite photos of the night below or head to our Facebook page for the full gallery!
Upcoming tour dates:
4/20 – Indianapolis, IN
4/21 – Lexington, KY
4/22 – Birmingham, AL
4/24 – Mobile, AL
4/25 – Destin, FL
4/26 – Atlanta, GA (supporting Alter Bridge)
4/28 – Dallas, TX
4/29 – Oklahoma City, OK
More information on the band’s website.
SEVENDUST
NONGRATA
All Photo Credit: Ryan Renger