Concerts Reviews
Lorna Shore Rips Through Vancouver with a Brutal, Chaotic, and Apocalyptic North American Tour

Before the first band even hit the stage, the atmosphere was already electric. Heavy rain surrounded the Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre, setting the perfect tone for a dark, chaotic night of metal. It was a storm within a storm as three titans of the scene unleashed pure mayhem. Leading the charge was New Jersey’s own Lorna Shore, joined by two of metal’s apocalyptic horsemen, The Black Dahlia Murder and Shadow of Intent. Sadly, Vancouver missed out on PeelingFlesh, whose border complications kept them from joining the carnage.
As the crowd flooded toward the pit, all you could see in the sea of long hair and black clothing were fans ready to unleash their rage and excitement. By 7:20 p.m., the wait was over. Shadow of Intent stormed the stage, and within moments, the Connecticut group had the arena in a frenzy. Crowd surfers flew, mosh pits erupted, and the chaos didn’t stop for the next half hour. Even as someone outside this genre’s usual orbit, it was impossible not to feel the adrenaline surge. When vocalist Ben Durr called for a “Wall of Death,” the crowd obeyed without hesitation. The pit split open, then collided at the song’s crushing breakdown like warriors in a medieval clash. It was a brutal, breathtaking spectacle that left everyone wondering what could possibly top it. By 8 p.m., we got our answer: The Black Dahlia Murder.
The Black Dahlia Murder are no strangers to the death metal scene. They are veterans who have toured the globe since 2001 and built a fierce reputation along the way. Vancouver can’t get enough of them either, and this night marked just over a year since their last appearance in the city. Back in October 2024, they tore up the Vogue Theatre with a set that was loud, relentless, and at times downright haunting. That same energy carried straight into the Doug Mitchell Arena without losing any of its power. Crowd surfers flew, circle pits spun with greater force, and even the veteran metalheads jumped into the chaos. The connection between band and fans was undeniable. Since stepping in for the late Trevor Strnad, Brian has carried the torch with respect and raw authority, honouring the band’s legacy while commanding every eye in the room. By the end, anyone who walked in unfamiliar with The Black Dahlia Murder likely left a fan or sprinted to the merch line to prove it.
And then came the main event, the catalyst of the night, Lorna Shore. You could feel the shift the moment fans started leaping from the stands to join the pit. The growl of the bass rumbled through the arena as the kabuki screen lit up, silhouettes of the band flickering behind an enormous glowing logo. When “Oblivion” hit, the crowd erupted. Energy surged like fire through every vein in the room, while more than twenty security guards braced for impact. For a split second, silence hung in the air before chaos exploded. Crowd surfers poured over the barricade faster than ever before, bodies moving like a storm. Frontman Will Ramos unleashed screams so raw and commanding they seemed to tear through the air itself. The performance was pure madness from start to finish, a relentless display of power that didn’t ease up until the final note.
“Glenwood,” “Unbreakable,” and “Prison of Flesh” were just a few of the heavy hitters from Lorna Shore’s latest release I Feel The Everblack Festing Within Me. The setlist also tore through fan favorites like “Cursed to Die,” “Pain Remains,” and “To The Hellfire.” Midway through the chaos came a surprise celebration for tech member Collin, as both the crew and the crowd joined in to wish him a happy birthday. Throughout the set, the band repeatedly showed appreciation for the security team, who worked nonstop to pull crowd surfers from the pit and keep everyone safe. They deserved every bit of that recognition. To close the night, Lorna Shore unleashed the full Pain Remains trilogy as the encore. Fans erupted in disbelief and joy, realizing they were witnessing the perfect finale to an unforgettable night.
Just last year, Lorna Shore packed the Commodore Ballroom to the rafters, leaving fans wondering what was next. This show answered that question in full force, proving the band could dominate arenas with the same intensity and precision. The experience was unforgettable, and like many Vancouver fans, there’s already eager anticipation for whatever the band brings on their next visit.
Check out our favourite photos of the night below or head to our Facebook page for the full gallery!
Upcoming Lorna Shore Tour Dates:
October 20 Salt Lake City, UT @ The Union Event Center
October 21 Denver, CO @ Fillmore Auditorium
October 23 Chicago, IL @ The Salt Shed
October 24 Maplewood, MN @ Myth Live
October 25 Milwaukee, WI @ Eagles Ballroom
October 27 Toronto, ON @ Great Canadian Casino Resort
October 28 Laval, QC @ Place Bell
October 30 New York, NY @ The Theater at Madison Square Garden
More information here.
LORNA SHORE






THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER




SHADOW OF INTENT



All Photo Credit: Marquise Monno
Concerts Reviews
LIVE REVIEW: LP Brings ‘All Is Not Lost’ Tour to Vancouver
On September 5, multi platinum singer-songwriter LP brought the All Is Not Lost Tour to Vancouver’s Queen Elizabeth Theatre, delivering a performance that moved effortlessly between vulnerability, power, and pure rock-and-roll energy. The night also carried a special significance: the tour celebrates the 10th anniversary of Lost on You, the record that helped transform LP from a respected songwriter into a global phenomenon.
Known professionally as LP, Laura Pergolizzi has spent years carving out a space that is uniquely their own. Before becoming internationally recognized as a recording artist, LP established themselves as a songwriter for major artists including Rihanna, Christina Aguilera, and Celine Dion. Their own breakthrough came with “Lost on You,” which went to No. 1 in 18 countries and eventually surpassed one billion Spotify streams.
Inside the Queen Elizabeth Theatre, LP’s music felt much more immediate. Their unmistakable voice moved from restrained and intimate to explosive within moments, giving songs such as “Muddy Waters,” “The One That You Love,” and “Lost on You” a sense of urgency that is difficult to recreate outside of a live setting.
The evening’s setlist reflected both sides of LP’s career. The first part moved through newer material and familiar favourites, including “Shelly,” “Tokyo Sunrise,” “Love Is All I Have,” and “Chasing & Waiting.” Later, the performance shifted toward the Lost on You celebration, bringing some of LP’s most recognizable songs into the spotlight.
It was the kind of moment that makes a concert feel bigger than the room. The song that introduced LP’s voice to millions became a shared experience between artist and audience, with the theatre singing along to every familiar line. After nearly a decade of the song living its own life around the world, hearing it performed in a packed Vancouver theatre gave it a renewed sense of intimacy.
From behind the camera, there was another layer to the experience. Photographing LP meant constantly watching for the moments between the obvious ones. The dramatic poses and powerful vocals naturally create striking frames, but some of the strongest images came from the quieter details, the concentration before a verse, a hand wrapped around the microphone, a fleeting expression beneath the stage lights.
LP is an artist who gives a photographer plenty to work with. Their movement across the stage feels instinctive rather than choreographed, and their performance style carries the same unpredictability as their voice. One moment can feel completely still; the next can explode into movement.
That contrast became one of the defining visual elements of the Vancouver show. The Queen Elizabeth Theatre also suited the performance. Rather than feeling distant or oversized, the venue allowed the audience to remain close to the emotional centre of the show. LP could command the room without having to overwhelm it.
There was also a sense of celebration throughout the night. Ten years after Lost on You, LP is still performing the songs that changed the trajectory of their career while continuing to introduce audiences to what’s next. The tour combines material from the upcoming album with a special presentation of Lost on You in its entirety, making the show feel like both a look backward and a step forward.
That balance is what made the Vancouver performance so compelling. LP isn’t simply revisiting an old record. They are showing how those songs have evolved with them and how they continue to resonate with an audience that has grown alongside their music.
By the final moments of the night, the feeling in the theatre was less like watching an artist celebrate an anniversary and more like witnessing a career still in motion.
For me, photographing LP in Vancouver was an opportunity to capture that evolution in real time: the voice, the movement, the vulnerability, and the electricity that has made LP such a distinctive live performer.
Ten years after Lost on You, the LP still has something to say and judging by the way Vancouver listened, people are still more than willing to hear it.
Check out our favourite photos of the night below or head to our Facebook page for the full gallery!
LP










All Photo Credit: Raphael Arthur
Concerts Reviews
LIVE REVIEW: Icons Deep Purple & Kansas Bring A Legendary Celebratory Night of Surprises To Abbotsford’s Rogers Forum
I don’t say this lightly, but both Deep Purple and Kansas absolutely put on a hell of a show. Since 1968, Deep Purple have basically been the godfathers of live rock performance. Don’t believe me? Go look up their Guinness World Record for “loudest concert,” which they snagged back in 1972. That same energy, that same wall of sound, made the trip across five decades and landed right here for the band’s headlining North American tour stop in Abbotsford. Original drummer Ian Paice is still holding it down, now joined by guitarist Simon McBride, bassist Roger Glover, keyboardist Don Airey, and vocalist Ian Gillan. Sure, only one original member remains, but somehow the whole group still nails the spirit of what made Deep Purple, well, Deep Purple.
They tore through 16 tracks that night. “Smoke on the Water” got the loudest reaction of the evening, no surprise there. “Diablo” and “Perfect Strangers” also landed big, and “Highway Star” kicked the whole thing off on an absolute high. And when I say the crowd was into it, I mean it. Fans who’ve followed this band for almost fifty years were pressed right up against the barrier trying to get as close as possible. That closeness paid off too, with an incredible light show and Simon McBride ripping through solo after solo. Honestly, McBride was the highlight more than once, stepping up so Gillan could catch his breath between songs. Given how much those vocals demand, that rest was more than earned.
Like I said, “Smoke on the Water” was the main event for Abbotsford. It’s one thing to describe it, but actually watching the buildup, seeing the bandmates grinning at each other because they knew exactly what was coming, that was priceless. Then those notes kicked in. You know the ones. Every Guitar Center employee’s nightmare. The whole arena became one voice, singing along to a guitar riff like it was a chorus. It was the moment of the night, the kind of thing every rock fan dreams about experiencing live. That wave of energy carried all the way through to the final song, “Hush.” If you were a millennial who spent way too much time on Guitar Hero 2, hearing this one live gave you full goosebumps. This was the band’s first big hit back in 1968, and in 2026 it still hits just as hard. The crowd treated it like more than an encore. It felt like everyone in that room knew they might not get another chance to see Deep Purple live, and they soaked in every second of it. When the house lights finally came up, Abbotsford just stood there in awe. Deep Purple‘s legendary status was on full display, and nobody in that crowd wanted the night to end.
Check out our favourite photos of the night below or head to our Facebook page for the full gallery!
DEEP PURPLE








KANSAS





All Photo Credit: Marquise Monno
