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: Bleachers Bring Big Energy to a Long-Awaited Montreal Return
On June 10th, 2026, fans packed into MTELUS for the Montreal stop of Bleachers’ Bleachers Forever tour. This is the second time the band has had in Montreal, the first being at Osheaga Music and Arts Festival back in 2022, which is the perfect place to build a Montreal fanbase.
Momo Boyd, a New York City based vocalist and songwriter, had no problem setting the tone for the night. With songs like “Cold Hands,” “Strong,” and even a cover of “Dreams” by Fleetwood Mac, her set was filled with enchanting purple lights, beautifully deep lyrics, and captivating vocals. Although her performance was more “low-key” than a typical Bleachers performance, it had its moments of picking up, and was the perfect way to ease the crowd into the night, and left many audience members as a new fan.
As Bleachers took the stage, opening their set with “My Way,” there was no doubt that this would be a night to remember. The band, consisting of lead singer Jack Antonoff, Mikey Freedom Hart, Zem Audu, Mike Riddleberger, Evan Smith and Sean Hutchinson came out to the wonderful sound of saxophone played by band member Zem Audu, and though the first half of the song was slower, the energy built up shortly after through flashing lights, jumps and a roaring crowd.
The audience erupted in cheers and laughter as lead singer, Jack Antonoff spoke out about artists always skipping Montreal during their tours, saying: “They think they can play Osheaga and that’s enough?”, and “What’s with (bands) that think they can play Osheaga, which is like an expensive ticket, and not just come play a normal show.” As me, and many others in that room have traveled to Toronto to see our favourite artists when they skip Montreal on tour, I completely agree with this!
The night continued with back-to-back hits, including “you and forever,” “Merry Christmas, Please Don’t Call,” and of course, “I Wanna Get Better,” and closing the set with “Stop Making This Hurt.” They even played a cover of Margaret by Lana Del Ray, which they’re featured on!
Bleachers set an incredible standard of engaging a crowd and keeping a consistently high-energy audience. From the first note, to the emotional highs and lows, to the closing goodbyes, fans were cheering, singing and dancing the whole time! They even had a photobooth in the venue where you could take pictures before the show! This is certainly a band that will be in people’s rotation for years to come, so the tour name speaks for itself when it says, Bleachers Forever!
Check out our favourite photos of the night below or head to our Facebook page for the full gallery!
BLEACHERS







MOMO BOYD



All Photo Credit: Ashley Bellam
Concerts Reviews
LIVE REVIEW: Alex Warren Finds Family on the Road at Rogers Arena
One year ago, Alex Warren was playing Vancouver’s Vogue Theatre. On Sunday night, he walked onto the stage at Rogers Arena in front of nearly 20,000 people for the Vancouver stop of his Finding Family on the Road Tour.
That kind of jump can expose an artist’s weaknesses. Plenty of performers who thrive in clubs and theatres struggle once the rooms get bigger and the production gets larger. Their personalities get lost somewhere between the video screens and the confetti cannons, yet Warren never came close to that problem.
Before he appeared, opening act Nat & Alex Wolff warmed up the crowd with a short but engaging set. The New York brothers leaned into their easy chemistry, mixing indie-pop hooks with plenty of crowd interaction. Still, the anticipation in the arena was unmistakably for Warren.
The show opened with touching home videos from his childhood projected across the giant screens. It felt like both sentimental and a mission statement. Family, both the one Warren lost and the one he has built around himself, remains at the centre of everything he does.
He wasted little time launching into “Troubled Waters,” immediately sending excitement through the arena. From there, he rolled through early highlights including “Bloodline,” “The Outside,” and “First Time on Earth.”
What stood out wasn’t the production, though there was plenty of it. It was Warren‘s command of the room. For someone whose rise began on social media, Warren understands live performance remarkably well. He knows when to joke, when to tell a story, and when to step aside and let the audience take over. Throughout the night he read signs, spoke directly to fans, and delivered the kind of spontaneous interactions that can’t be programmed into a production schedule.
The audience responded to every moment. Many were young fans who have followed his life for years, and the relationship between artist and crowd felt unusually personal for a venue this size.
Vocally, Warren continues to silence anyone who still sees him primarily as a former content creator. Songs like “The Outside” and “Eternity” showcased the power and clarity in his voice, particularly when he pushed into his upper register. During “Eternity,” a massive sing-along broke out across Rogers Arena, with nearly every section joining in.
The emotional core of the evening arrived during the B-stage portion of the set. To get there, Warren left the main stage and made his way through the crowd, high-fiving fans, stopping for selfies, and turning the walk into an event of its own.
After reaching the smaller stage in the middle of the floor, Warren stripped away much of the arena spectacle and focused on the stories behind the songs. Before performing the unreleased “Same Stars,” he asked fans to put their phones away and experience the moment with him rather than recording it. He then spoke about losing both of his parents and the loneliness that often comes with grief. He reminded the audience that people die twice: once when they pass away and again when their stories stop being told. You could hear a pin drop as phone lights illuminated the arena.
It’s a difficult balance. Warren‘s music often deals with grief, loss, and healing, and there are moments where the emotional weight borders on overwhelming. At times, the show asks a lot from its audience, who ended up in tears several times. Yet those moments never felt manipulative. They felt genuine, even when they were uncomfortable.
“Fine Place To Die” was one of the strongest moments of the night. Sitting alone at the piano, Warren delivered the song acoustically after explaining that everything heard throughout the show was being performed live by him and his musicians. Before starting, he joked, “If I fuck up, post it on TikTok,” earning one of the night’s biggest laughs. Alongside “Heaven Without You,” the stripped-back performance highlighted Warren‘s songwriting and emotional delivery.
The final run of songs shifted the mood back toward celebration. During “Getaway Car,” Warren took a moment to introduce each member of his band, giving the musicians their own chance to shine before launching back into the set. “You Can’t Stop This” and “Burning Down” brought fresh energy into the arena before “FEVER DREAM” exploded into one of the night’s biggest singalongs, complete with confetti cannons and enough excitement to shake the building.
The final run of songs shifted the mood back toward celebration. “Getaway Car,” “You Can’t Stop This,” and “Burning Down” brought fresh energy into the arena before “FEVER DREAM” exploded into one of the night’s biggest singalongs, complete with confetti cannons and enough excitement to shake the building.
Warren explained that the confetti button is normally pushed by his wife, Kouvr, but since she wasn’t in Vancouver, the honour went to fellow musician Cameron Whitcomb, who had just finished performing at the FIFA Fan Festival earlier that day. Whitcomb’s excitement was impossible to miss as confetti filled the arena.
With the encore came the moment everyone had been waiting for. As the opening notes of “Ordinary” rang out, Rogers Arena erupted. The Billboard-topping hit has become Warren‘s defining song, and hearing nearly every person in the building scream the lyrics back at him was one of those rare concert moments where the scale of an artist’s rise becomes impossible to ignore.
A year ago, Alex Warren was proving he belonged in theatres. On Sunday night, he proved he belongs in arenas. More impressively, he managed to make Rogers Arena feel a lot smaller than it actually is.
After the final notes faded, Warren returned to the B-stage one last time to take a bow. Beside him was a young girl who had earlier asked to push the confetti button herself. He gave her something even better. It was a small gesture, but it perfectly captured the spirit of the night: a massive arena show that never lost sight of the people in the room.
Upcoming Tour Dates:
Wednesday, June 17 – Salt Lake City, UT – Utah First Credit Union Amphitheatre
Friday, June 19 – Omaha, NE – CHI Health Center
Sunday, June 21 – Kansas City, MO – T-Mobile Center
Tuesday, June 23 – Pittsburgh, PA – PPG Paints Arena
Thursday, June 25 – Atlanta GA – State Farm Arena
Friday, June 26 – Charlotte, NC – Spectrum Center
Saturday, June 27 – Cleveland, OH – Rocket Arena
Monday, June 29 – Chicago, IL – United Center
Thursday, July 2 – Minneapolis, MN – Grand Casino Arena
Friday, July 3 – Milwaukee, WI – Summerfest – American Family Insurance Amphitheater
Sunday, July 5 – Detroit, MI – Little Caesars Arena
Tuesday, July 7 – Toronto, ON – RBC Amphitheatre
Wednesday, July 8 – Montreal, QC – Bell Centre
Friday, July 10 – Philadelphia, PA – Xfinity Mobile Arena
Saturday, July 11 – Columbia, MD – Merriweather Post Pavillion
Monday, July 13 – Boston, MA – TD Garden
Wednesday, July 15 – New York, NY – Madison Square Garden
Find out more information about the tour here.
