Connect with us

Concerts Reviews

Lief Vollebekk at Mtelus in Montreal

Published

on

On Friday night Leif Vollebekk, currently on tour to support his new album Revelation, came back to Montreal for a homecoming show at Mtelus. With a snowy Friday night as a backdrop, the Montreal’s very own gave his city a set packed with hits and some very surprising guests.

Starting the show for Leif was Reuben Bullock presenting his current solo project. It was a very intimate folk set to kick off the night that got more and more energy as it went on. Just him, an acoustic guitar and a mic. Quite a nice highlight was Mercy Walker (who also plays with Leif’s band) joining Reuben for a duet towards the end of his set. I wasn’t familiar with his music before last night but he’s now definitely going into my regular folk-acoustic rotation. 

At around 9:10, the front lights went out and a row of white lights illuminated the back of the set. 

The band walks in first to the cheer of the Montreal crowd who was ready for Leif’s return home. A few moments after, the Canadian artist walked onstage simply wearing a grey tank top and dark jeans to the burst cheers of his fellow montrealers. He waved to the crowd, sat on his piano with a smile ear-to-ear and sighed in relief as if saying “It’s good to be home”.

Starting out the night with his set with ‘Rock and Roll’, the first track of his latest album. Lief sat on the piano for a couple of songs before standing up and grabbing his acoustic guitar to play some of his greatest hits like ‘Long Blue Light’ and ‘Hot Tears’

It was clear this was a special show for Lief who surprised the entire venue mid set when he said “I have a friend who asked if I was in Montreal tonight. I said I was so he wanted to join us for a bit if that’s ok”, then to a roar of the crowd he said “Ladies and Gentleman, my friend James Bay.

The English songwriter joined in, on rhythm guitar for my personal favorite ‘Peace of Mind (Morning)’. Not long after, another surprise guest, Birdy, joined in for a duet of ‘Southern Star’.

Friday didn’t feel like just another part of the ‘Revelation’ Tour for the Canadian artist. Even though he’s still playing Toronto tonight, yesterday felt like the perfect wrap up party for this leg of the tour. Playing in his city, for his people,  with a bunch of his friends, before heading out the other side of the planet to Australia. We’re just happy he brought us along for the ride.

Check out our favourite photos of the night below or head to our Facebook page for the full gallery!

LIEF VOLLEBEK
REUBEN BULLOCK

All Photo credit: Andres Amaya

Concerts Reviews

LIVE REVIEW: Halestorm in Buenos Aires: A Mountain of Hard Rock

Published

on

Halestorm Buenos Aires 01

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.

Halestorm in Buenos Aires – Photo by Tute Delacroix

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.”

Halestorm in Buenos Aires – Photo by Tute Delacroix

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.”

Halestorm in Buenos Aires – Photo by Tute Delacroix

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.

Halestorm in Buenos Aires – Photo by Tute Delacroix

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)

Continue Reading

Concerts Reviews

LIVE REVIEW: Evan Honer Turns the Commodore Into a Living Room Singalong

Published

on

Evan Honer

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

Continue Reading