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: 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