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: David Lee Roth Brings the Party to Vancouver’s Vogue Theatre
Some artists play a concert. David Lee Roth puts on a show.
The legendary Van Halen frontman took over Vancouver’s Vogue Theatre on July 13 for nearly two and a half hours of classic rock, storytelling, and larger-than-life personality. From the moment he stepped on stage, it was obvious Vancouver still holds a special place in his heart. Throughout the night, he reminisced about recording here over the years and shared fond memories of his time at the Nelson Place Hotel, where, judging by the grin on his face, he had more than a few unforgettable nights.
If you’ve ever seen Diamond Dave, you know the music is only part of the experience.
Roth’s storytelling was in peak form, with tales between songs that seemed to wander wherever his brain felt like taking them. The longest detour of the night eventually landed on “Ice Cream Man,” with Roth picking up an acoustic guitar and easing into the Van Halen classic. Moments like that are exactly why he’s never been just a singer; he’s a showman through and through, and the crowd was loving every minute of it.
At one point, Roth referred to himself as “35 years old… times two,” and honestly, the man has enough energy to make people half his age question their cardio. He powered through almost two and a half hours with barely a pause, constantly moving across the stage with his signature Muppet-like swagger, dramatic poses and facial expression, and even a limbo under his microphone stand just because… he’s David Lee Roth. As a self-proclaimed “paper cup of whiskey,” Roth couldn’t have described himself more perfectly: a little rough around the edges, endlessly charismatic, and impossible not to enjoy.
The setlist delivered exactly what Vancouver came to hear, with Van Halen classics including “Panama,” “Jamie’s Cryin’,” “Dance the Night Away,” “Hot for Teacher,” “Ain’t Talkin’ ‘Bout Love,” “Jump,” and “Runnin’ with the Devil.” One of the evening’s standout moments came during “Unchained,” where Roth busted out a harmonica solo, adding his own twist to one of the band’s heaviest anthems.
The crowd was all in from the opening song, singing every chorus back to the stage, cheering between stories, even telling Roth to “gimme a break” when the time came (iykyk). While his voice doesn’t quite reach the same sky-high notes it did in the ’80s, that hardly mattered. Rather than chasing perfection, Roth leaned into what has always made him such a captivating performer: personality, humour, spontaneity, and an undeniable love for being on stage. You could genuinely feel how much fun he was having, and that enthusiasm spread through the theatre.
His backing band kept the iconic songs sounding tight and full of energy, while the backup vocalists were an absolute highlight of the night. They were impossible not to watch, dancing through every song, interacting with each other, and laughing along with Roth‘s antics. The moment one of the backing vocalists sauntered across the stage to jump behind another set of synth keys, you knew the crowd was about to be transported straight into synth heaven. Their chemistry with one another and with Roth added another layer of excitement to an already lively performance, making the stage feel alive from start to finish.
With plenty of videos from earlier stops on the tour circulating online, Vancouver’s performance felt like one of the strongest of the run. Roth looked relaxed, sounded confident, and seemed genuinely excited to be back in a city that’s clearly been an important part of his career. Whether it was the hometown memories, the electric crowd, or simply one of those nights where everything clicked, the show had an extra spark that carried through from start to finish
David Lee Roth may not sound exactly like he did four decades ago, and honestly, that’s okay. What hasn’t changed is his ability to command a stage, make thousands of people smile, and turn a concert into a full-blown rock ‘n’ roll party. For diehard Van Halen fans, it was a chance to relive the classics. For everyone else, it was a reminder that great songs are one thing, but a true showman knows how to make them unforgettable.
Check our our favourite photos of the night below or head to our Facebook page for the full glallery!
DAVID LEE ROTH IN VANCOUVER
All Photo Credit: Heather Horncastle
Concerts Reviews
LIVE REVIEW: A$AP Rocky’s Tour Finale Brings Out 50 Cent, Ice Spice, and the A$AP Mob
Coming off the hype of his long-awaited fourth studio album Don’t Be Dumb, A$AP Rocky has been turning up shows and electrifying audiences across major venues in North America. On Saturday, he was performing at the Prudential Center, which is near his hometown of New York. Eager fans packed into the venue, greeted by a warning on the big screen that read, “Please be advised that this performance includes SWAT performers and strobe effects. Enjoy the show!” The message felt direct yet somewhat chilling.
When the moment finally arrived, A$AP Rocky stormed onto the general admission floor accompanied by police officers and masked bodyguards sporting AWGE tactical gear. Unlike most concerts, this one kicked off in the middle of the crowd. When he shouted, “Open that shit up!” the crowd erupted, and all hell broke loose.
As fans piled in to get as close as possible to the rapper, the once-spacious venue transformed into a massive mosh pit. It was organized chaos, much to A$AP‘s delight, as he seemed to feed off their energy, a true ringleader in the mayhem. Most rappers wouldn’t dare start a show this way for obvious safety reasons. But not A$AP, he enjoys being right in the middle of the action.
Performing some of the more energetic songs from his new album, like “Helicopter” and “Order of Protection,” he danced, jumped, and pushed back against the crowd. This felt like a special show, as the hometown kid finally got to celebrate with his New York and New Jersey fans.
Joining him for this event were several special guests, including Ice Spice, Uncle Murda, 50 Cent, Skilla Baby, and various members of the A$AP Mob, blessing the crowd with favorites like “Deli,” “Many Men,” and “Thick One.” With this final show, Rocky concluded his United States and Canada run of the Don’t Be Dumb tour with a banger. We can only look forward to more surprises and epic moments as he takes the show to Europe. Rocky will be taking no prisoners as he embarks on this extended leg. I just hope those fans heed the warning and come ready to turn up with the mob.
Check out our favorite photos of the show below or head to our Facebook page for the full gallery!
A$AP ROCKY
All Photo Credit: Anthony Grant