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: 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