Concerts Reviews
LIVE REVIEW: The Black Keys Turn Rogers Arena Into a Blues Bar on the Peaches ’n Kream Tour
For a band that spent the better part of the 2010s filling arenas with polished radio rock, The Black Keys looked strangely comfortable stripping things back at Rogers Arena on May 31. Similar to when I saw them in 2012 at the Sporthalle in Hamburg, Germany, there were no giant moving stages, no overworked visuals, no desperate attempt to remind people how massive they used to be, and even better, no phones up the whole night as the fans truly immersed themselves in the moment. Instead, the Peaches ’n Kream Tour leaned hard into something looser and dirtier.
Jeremie Albino opened the night with a set that fitted perfectly for this version of The Black Keys. The Toronto blues-rock singer walked onstage without much fuss and immediately filled the arena with a raw, raspy voice. He truly has one of the best voices I have heard in a while. Backed by a tight band that leaned into gritty Southern rock and old-school soul, Albino delivered songs with enough swing and swagger to win over a crowd that was still filing into their seats. Opening arena shows can sometimes feel like background noise while people buy drinks and hunt for merch, but Albino managed to cut through the early-night chatter.
The Black Keys walked onstage to a giant glowing band logo and immediately slammed into “Heavy Soul,” which set the tone for the next hour and a half. Dan Auerbach’s guitar tone sounded enormous all night, the kind of crunch that rattles around your chest before it reaches your ears. Patrick Carney, meanwhile, played with the same blunt-force simplicity that made the band compelling in the first place.
The current touring lineup deserves a lot of credit for why this era of the band feels rejuvenated instead of nostalgic. Guitarist Andy Gabbard added extra muscle without crowding Auerbach, and bassist Eric Deaton locked everything together with a loose, rolling groove that kept the set from becoming too stiff. Keyboardist Jimbo Mathis and percussionist Chris St. Hilaire filled out the sound with touches of soul and psych-rock shimmer that made even familiar songs feel slightly rearranged.
“Tighten Up” slowed into something smokier. “Everlasting Light” became almost dreamlike, with Auerbach stretching the melody instead of sprinting through it. Even “Gold on the Ceiling,” still one of the best arena rock songs they ever wrote, carried more grit than swagger this time around.
A lot of that comes from Peaches!, the band’s new covers-heavy record built around the Hill Country blues music that shaped them as kids in Akron. The influence ran through nearly every corner of the set. Covers like “Have Love Will Travel” and “You Got to Lose” felt central to the entire identity of the tour. The Black Keys have spent years polishing themselves into mainstream rock headliners, but this show worked hardest when they sounded slightly unkempt.
“Weight of Love” was easily one of the night’s strongest moments. Auerbach let his solos wander without overplaying, and for a few minutes Rogers stopped feeling like an arena altogether. The whole room suddenly had the atmosphere of some overheated roadside bar where the amps are too loud and nobody cares.
That feeling carried into “Lo/Hi,” which rolled with a heavy psych-rock pulse. There were moments where the pacing sagged slightly in the middle stretch, particularly when too many slower grooves stacked together, but the band always found a way to snap things back into focus before the energy drifted too far. But when they finally reached the home stretch, they absolutely unloaded.
“Little Black Submarines” still hits with ridiculous force live, especially once the quiet opening gives way to the explosion halfway through. When “Lonely Boy” closed the night, the entire arena was moving.
The biggest surprise of where The Black Keys are right now is that a lot of legacy rock bands hit this stage of their career and coast on muscle memory ; yet, The Black Keys seem to have avoided this trap. They’re clearly aware that the arena-rock peak has cooled off a bit, but instead of fighting that reality, they’ve circled back to the music that made them exciting before the Grammys, before the commercials, before “Lonely Boy” became unavoidable.
Check out our favourite photos of the night below or head to our Facebook page for the full gallery!
Upcoming Tour Dates:
6/3/26 – Edmonton, AB – Rogers Place
6/5/26 – Calgary, AB – Spruce Meadows – ATCO Field
6/6/26 – Calgary, AB – Spruce Meadows – ATCO Field
6/8/26 – Jackson, WY – Snow King Resort
6/9/26 – Ogden, UT – Ogden Amphitheater
6/11/26 – Stateline, NV – Harveys Lake Tahoe
6/12/26 – Las Vegas, NV – Virgin Hotels Las Vegas – The Theater
6/13/26 – Santa Barbara, CA – Santa Barbara Bowl
7/16/26 – Chicago, IL – The Salt Shed – Fairgrounds
7/17/26 – Saint Paul, MN – Minnesota Yacht Club Fest
7/19/26 – Chesterfield, MO – The Factory
7/20/26 – La Vista, NE – The Astro – Outdoor Amphitheater
7/21/26 – Oklahoma City, OK – The Zoo Amphitheatre
7/23/26 – Dallas, TX – Bomb Factory
7/24/26 – Houston, TX – Lawn at White Oak Music Hall
7/25/26 – New Braunfels, TX – Whitewater Amphitheatre
7/28/26 – Clearwater, FL – Coachman Park – The BayCare Sound
7/29/26 – St Augustine, FL – The Saint Augustine Amphitheatre
7/30/26 – North Charleston, SC – Firefly Distillery – Lawn
8/1/26 – Richmond, VA – Allianz Amphitheater at Riverfront
8/2/26 – Pittsburgh, PA – Stage AE
8/4/26 – Newport, KY – MegaCorp Pavilion
8/6/26 – Nashville, TN – The Pinnacle
8/7/26 – Nashville, TN – The Pinnacle
8/28/26 – Paris, FR – Rock En Seine
8/29/26 – Portsmouth, UK – Victorious Festival
8/31/26 – London, UK – Eventim Apollo
9/1/26 – London, UK – Brixton Academy
9/4/26 – Amsterdam, NL – AFAS
9/6/26 – Cologne, DE – Palladium
9/7/26 – Bern, CH – Festhalle
9/9/26 – Munich, DE – Zenith
9/10/26 – Milan, IT – Alcatraz
9/13/26 – Madrid, ES – Movistar Aena
9/15/26 – Istanbul, TR – KüçükÇiftlik Park
10/10/26 – Verona, NY – Turning Stone Resort & Casino
10/11/26 – Portland, ME – Cross Insurance Arena
10/13/26 – Moncton, NB – Avenir Centre
10/14/26 – Halifax, NS – Scotiabank Centre
10/16/26 – Laval, QC – Place Bell
10/17/26 – Ottawa, ON – Canadian Tire Centre
10/18/26 – Windsor, ON – Caesars Windsor
More information here.
THE BLACK KEYS
JEREMY ALBINO
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