Concerts Reviews
LIVE REVIEW – Lauren Spencer Smith Delivers an Emotional Night in Vancouver on ‘Art of Being A Mess’ Tour
At Vancouver’s Orpheum Theatre on March 22, Lauren Spencer Smith returned to something close to home. The Port Alberni native was greeted like one of the city’s own, and the energy in the room made that clear long before she stepped on stage. Groups of friends, families, and plenty of young fans filled the theatre early, already singing along to the preshow playlist as if the concert had started without her.
Opening the night, Maisy Kay brought a theatrical, almost fairytale-like presence. Dressed in a flowing outfit with butterfly details (down to her water bottle), she moved across the stage with ease, turning a solo set into something that felt full and lively. Tracks like “Technicolor Honeymoon” and “Almost Touch Me” leaned into glossy pop, while her take on Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep” added a playful twist, complete with impressive vocal runs. Kay’s charm came through in the quieter moments too, especially when she paused to speak directly to the crowd, sharing about connection and heartbreak.
Next up, Sofia Camara shifted the mood into something more intimate. Her set leaned heavily on storytelling, with each song introduced like a chapter pulled from her own life. When she asked the crowd to stand up and light up the room for “Starlight,” the Orpheum transformed into a sea of phone lights, soft and glowing. That calm didn’t last long once she launched into “Parking Lot,” which had the audience singing back every word. By the end of her set, she had clearly won over a room that arrived early and ready to listen.
By the time Spencer Smith appeared, the anticipation had been building for hours. Her stage design leaned into the theme of The Art of Being A Mess, built around a stylized bus stop complete with a bench and a ringing payphone. It gave the show a sense of movement, like each song marked a different emotional stop along the way. When the lights dropped and the phone rang, the crowd screams, and she walked out to open with “IF KARMA DOESN’T GET YOU,” quickly followed by “Lighting the Flame” and “28.” For “Bigger Person,” the fans had prepared a special project and had distributed little pieces of paper ahead of the show asking the crowd to turn on their phone lights. It was one of the most beautiful, still moments of the night.
Indeed, from the start, her connection with the audience felt personal. She didn’t treat the room like a blur of faces, and she made eye contact, reacted to signs, and took time between songs to talk. That balance of control and openness carried the night. Vocally, she was sharp and consistent, moving from restrained verses to full, belted choruses.
The setlist pulled heavily from her latest album, The Art of Being a Mess, alongside fan favourites like “That Part,” “Pray,” and “Flowers.” The loudest moments came when the crowd took over entirely, turning songs like “Fingers Crossed” into full-on singalongs.
Interactive moments helped shape the pacing. The “Tell Me A Secret” segment brought a mix of humour and vulnerability as anonymous confessions were read aloud, while the “Wheel of Feels” added an unpredictable edge.
What stood out most was how comfortable Spencer Smith looked in this setting. There’s been steady growth in her stage presence over the past few years, and it shows. She knows when to step back and let the crowd carry a moment, and when to lean in and push her voice to the front. The energy in the room never let up.
For a hometown-adjacent crowd, this tour stop was a reminder of how far she’s come, and how strongly her music continues to land with the people who found her early.
Check out our favourite photos of the night below or head to our Facebook page for the full gallery!
LAUREN SPENCER SMITH
SOFIA CAMARA
MAISY KAY
All Photo Credit: Caroline Charruyer
Concerts Reviews
LIVE REVIEW – The Goo Goo Dolls In Abbotsford Proved Great Songs Never Age
For fans who came of age during The Goo Goo Dolls’ 90s ascent, and for a younger generation now discovering the band through TikTok trends and algorithm-fed nostalgia, their sold-out Abbotsford performance felt like the perfect collision of past and present. It was a night built on timeless songwriting, crowd connection, and the kind of emotional payoff only a band with a catalogue this beloved can deliver. From the moment fans began filing through the Rogers Forum doors, there was already a distinct buzz in the air. The crowd was packed with longtime devotees and newer listeners alike, all united by one lingering question that seemed to hover over the venue before the lights even dropped: When are they going to play “Iris”?
That mystery followed the room into the opening moments of the set, but it did not stay front of mind for long. Once Johnny Rzeznik, Robby Takac, and company tore into “Naked,” any lingering fixation on the inevitable closer quickly gave way to the immediate thrill of the present. Fans were on their feet almost instantly, and the night wasted no time settling into full celebration mode. There was no slow burn here. The Goo Goo Dolls came out with purpose, and with the kind of confidence only a veteran act can carry.
That confidence was on full display when “Slide” landed as just the second song of the night. For a band with this many staples, dropping one of their most iconic tracks that early felt like a statement. It jolted the sold-out crowd to life in a massive way. Arms flew up, voices rang out, and every lyric seemed to roll off tongues like second nature. It was one of those moments where the line between performer and audience completely disappeared. The venue was locked in, and from there, the momentum never really let go.
The set moved with an impressive sense of balance, leaning into the band’s most enduring hits without ever making the night feel like a straightforward nostalgia run. “Big Machine,” “Stay With You,” and “Black Balloon” all hit with force, each one met with the kind of reaction that reminded everyone just how deep The Goo Goo Dolls’ catalogue really is. Song after song, they delivered with the ease of a group that understands exactly how to pace a room and keep an audience emotionally invested. Midway through the set, the energy shifted into something more intimate.
Rzeznik stripped things back for an acoustic performance of “Sympathy,” offering one of the night’s most memorable in-between-song moments before a single chord was played. Sharing a story from the previous evening in Victoria, he recalled seeing a beautiful woman casually crush a beer in one go, a moment that apparently left him completely awestruck. It was funny, unexpected, and exactly the kind of loose, off-the-cuff storytelling that makes a room feel smaller in the best way possible. The crowd loved it. And of course, the second “Sympathy” came to a close, with Rzeznik still holding the acoustic guitar, the audience made its move. “Iris!” The call came fast and loud, and it was impossible not to laugh when Rzeznik fired back, “If I play it, you’re going to leave.” It was a perfect bit of playful misdirection, and it only made the anticipation around the inevitable finale grow stronger.
By the time the band entered the back half of the set, they were fully in command of the room. “Ocean,” “Better Days,” and “Broadway” kept the pace high and the emotional stakes even higher, building toward the moment everyone knew was coming. If the first portion of the night reminded the crowd just how many hits The Goo Goo Dolls have, the closing stretch reinforced why those songs continue to resonate across generations. Then came “Iris.” Even before the first verse, the reaction said everything. There are very few songs that can genuinely claim generational status, but “Iris” has long since earned that distinction. It was a defining hit in the 90s, remained a staple through the 2000s and 2010s, and has now found a fresh wave of cultural relevance through social media, where younger audiences are once again pulling it into the spotlight. It is one of those rare songs that never really leaves. It just keeps finding new people to belong to. At Rogers Forum, that legacy was impossible to ignore.
The second those opening chords rang out, the venue shifted. Phones rose into the air. Faces lit up. Some fans were smiling, others were visibly emotional, and nearly everyone seemed to be singing as if the song had lived with them for years. The performance itself was everything it needed to be, but what elevated the moment was how fully the crowd gave itself over to it. When Rzeznik turned the mic outward and let Abbotsford take over a chorus, the response was thunderous. It was loud. It was emotional. It was the kind of full-body singalong that sends a shiver through a venue and reminds you why live music still matters as much as it does.
By the end of the night, one thing was abundantly clear: this was not simply a legacy act leaning on familiar material. The Goo Goo Dolls delivered a set that felt vibrant, assured, and deeply connected to the people in the room. They bridged generations with ease, turned beloved songs into shared memories, and reminded a sold-out Abbotsford crowd that truly great music does not expire. For one night, nostalgia met the present in all the right ways, and The Goo Goo Dolls turned that meeting point into something unforgettable.
Check out our favourite photos of the night below or head to our Facebook page for the full gallery!
Upcoming Tour Dates:
March 22, 2026 – Kelowna, BC – Prospera Place
March 23, 2026 – Calgary, AB – Scotiabank Saddledome
March 25, 2026 – Edmonton, AB – Rogers Place
March 26, 2026 – Saskatoon, SK – SaskTel Centre
March 28, 2026 – Winnipeg, MB – Canada Life Centre
March 30, 2026 – Sault Ste. Marie, ON – GFL Memorial Gardens
April 1, 2026 – Oshawa, ON – Tribute Communities Centre
April 2, 2026 – Hamilton, ON – TD Coliseum
April 4, 2026 – London, ON – Canada Life Place
April 6, 2026 – Ottawa, ON – Canadian Tire Centre
April 8, 2026 – Laval, QC – Place Bell
April 10, 2026 – Halifax, NS – Scotiabank Centre
April 11, 2026 – Moncton, NB – Avenir Centre
April 18, 2026 – Georgetown, TX – Two Step Inn 2026
May 15, 2026 – Las Vegas, NV – The Venetian Theatre
May 16, 2026 – Las Vegas, NV – The Venetian Theatre
May 20, 2026 – Las Vegas, NV – The Venetian Theatre
May 22, 2026 – Las Vegas, NV – The Venetian Theatre
May 23, 2026 – Las Vegas, NV – The Venetian Theatre
More information here.
GOO GOO DOLLS
All Photo Credit: Marquise Monno
Concerts Reviews
LIVE REVIEW – Lights Shines in Ottawa on the ‘Come Get Your Girl’ Tour
Bronson Centre, Ottawa, ON
March 18th 2026
Lights – Come Get Your Girl Tour
An evening in the nation’s capital began with Canadian alt-rock duo Softcult. Combining grunge, shoegazing and their lyrics that tackle social and political issues, Softcult got the crowd rocking out early.
Soon after 9pm Lights graced the stage and continued to prove why she remains one of Canada’s most enduring and quietly influential voices in synth-pop. Across her latest era, anchored by A6 (2025) and its expanded counterpart A6 Extended, she leans further into a moody, late-night sonic palette, built on atmospheric production, restrained vocals, and deeply personal songwriting. The result is a body of work that feels both intimate and refined, showcasing her growth as a largely self-produced artist who has steadily carved out her own creative lane over more than a decade in the industry.
What makes this phase of her career particularly compelling is how seamlessly it fits within her broader catalogue. Longtime fans will still recognize the DNA of earlier hits like “Up We Go” and “Running With the Boys,” but there’s a noticeable maturity in tone and texture. Lights isn’t chasing trends, she’s refining them, distilling her sound into something more deliberate and emotionally resonant.
That evolution translates powerfully to the stage on her current 2026 Come Get Your Girl tour. The live show strikes a confident balance between past and present, weaving fan favourites alongside newer material without losing momentum. Backed by dynamic lighting and immersive visuals, the performance feels both polished and kinetic, elevating her introspective songs into something communal and celebratory. There’s a clear emphasis on movement and energy, but never at the expense of authenticity. Lights remains fully in control, connecting with the crowd in a way that feels genuine rather than rehearsed.
Ultimately, this tour doesn’t just support A6 Extended, it reinforces Lights’ staying power. She’s an artist who has grown with her audience, refining her sound while maintaining the emotional core that drew listeners in from the beginning. In an era where pop careers can be fleeting, Lights offers something rarer: consistency, evolution, and a live experience that continues to resonate.
Lights will extend her tour this year by joining fellow Canadian Bryan Adams on the Roll with the Punches tour across Canada. More information on her website.
Check out our favourite photos of the night below or head to our Facebook page the full gallery!
LIGHTS
SOFTCULT
All Photo Credit: Kieran Delport