Concerts Reviews
Linkin Park Balance Legacy and Renewal in Vancouver with From Zero World Tour
Linkin Park’s return to Vancouver felt like something out of an alternate timeline ; one where the band weathered tragedy, reassembled, and reemerged with a different voice but the same electricity. On Sunday night, September 21, Rogers Arena was packed to the rafters for the From Zero World Tour, a two-hour, career-spanning spectacle that proved the band’s legacy isn’t just intact, it’s still evolving.
But first: chaos. JPEGMAFIA opened the evening with a blistering 30-minute set that sounded like it was beamed in from five different planets at once. He thrashed between aggressive hip-hop, noise rock, and psychedelic jams with a live band that veered dangerously close to sounding like Rage Against the Machine one minute and a warped carnival ride the next. His set included the fan favourite “BALD!” (dedicated to the follicly challenged), and a trippy Auto-Tuned rendition of Carly Rae Jepsen’s “Call Me Maybe.” It was messy and funny, exactly the kind of left-field warm-up a band like Linkin Park deserves.
Then came the countdown clock. Projected on massive cube screens suspended above the in-the-round stage, the numbers ticked down as the arena went dark. When the band emerged to the swelling “Inception Intro C,” lasers cut across the arena, and Emily Armstrong and Mike Shinoda launched into “Somewhere I Belong,” and just like that, Linkin Park was back.
The early stretch leaned hard into nostalgia: “Crawling,” and “New Divide” had fists pumping, while Armstrong proved she wasn’t interested in mimicking Chester Bennington so much as channelling his spirit. Her voice is different, gritty in the right moments, soaring where it counts, but she left plenty of space for the fans to scream along. When she tore into “The Emptiness Machine,” a centerpiece of the new From Zero record, you could feel her confidence snap into place.
The show was structured in four acts, almost like a rock opera. The second act veered into Linkin Park’s more experimental side: the punchy “The Catalyst,” “Burn It Down,” “Lies, Greed, Misery.” One of the strongest moments came with “Two Faced,” a new track that sounded like vintage LP, with Shinoda spitting razor-sharp verses, Armstrong screaming her lungs out, and Joe Hahn working the decks like it was 2001 all over again.
Halfway through the show, the crew rotated the set up, giving every corner of the arena a front-row view at some point in the night. Hahn and new drummer Colin Brittain got their own spotlight, trading turntable scratches and pounding rhythms in an extended interlude that bled into a Mike Shinoda solo section where he walked along the barricade and gave his hat to an excited Brazilian fan. His mashup of “When They Come for Me” and Fort Minor’s “Remember the Name” turned Rogers Arena into a 18,000-person rap cypher, the crowd shouting every word of the hook back at him.
Act three was all about catharsis. “Lost,” the unearthed Meteora-era track, was reborn as a piano ballad before the band crashed in for a full-band version. From there, the crowd surged through “Stained” and a crushing “What I’ve Done,” which sounded bigger and heavier than it has in years.
Act four leaned into the emotional core of Linkin Park’s catalog. “Overflow” exploded with a wall of sound, while “Numb” gave way to one of the loudest singalongs of the night. Armstrong pulled back during the chorus, letting the fans carry the weight. By the time the band ripped through “In the End” and “Faint,” the energy was at its highest.
For the encore, the band tore into “Papercut,” reminding everyone why Hybrid Theory remains untouchable. Then came “Heavy Is the Crown,” a new anthem from From Zero, and finally “Bleed It Out.” And just like that, the night was over.
Here’s the thing: Chester Bennington can’t be replaced. Everyone in the arena knew that. But Emily Armstrong doesn’t try to replace him, she adds a new layer. On the older songs, she does them justice while letting the fans fill in the gaps. On the new tracks, she absolutely owns the space. That balance between memory and reinvention is what makes this version of Linkin Park work.
Shinoda, as always, is the glue, trading verses, moving between guitar and keys, and keeping the crowd engaged. Dave “Phoenix” Farrell’s bass was thunderous, Hahn’s visuals and scratches stitched the eras together, and Alex Feder and Colin Brittain slid seamlessly into their roles.
By the end of the night, old fans got the emotional release they craved, new fans discovered a band reborn, and everyone walked out knowing Linkin Park is thriving.
Check out our favourite photos of the night below or head to our Facebook page for the full gallery!
LINKIN PARK
JPEGMAFIA
All Photo Credit: Caroline Charruyer
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