Concerts Reviews
Music as Medicine: The Lumineers Play Two Nights at Los Angeles’ Kia Forum
On September 8th, 2010, Wesley Schultz and Jeremiah Fraites played their first show in Los Angeles; in the back of Molly Malone’s, an Irish Pub that is beloved by Angelenos. Fifteen years later, the pair better known as The Lumineers, headlined two nights at one of the largest venues in the city, the Kia Forum. In a night celebrating five albums and twenty years of musical partnership between Schultz and Fraites, rather than simply playing to August 9th’s sold out crowd, The Lumineers performed a love letter to the community they have cultivated.
London based singer-songwriter Tom Odell kicked off the night with ‘“Don’t Let Me Go”, the lead single from his upcoming album A Wonderful Life that is set to release on September 5th. With a four piece band backing him, Odell played piano while alternating between songs from his debut album, Long Way Down, and previous album Black Friday. Halfway through his set, he introduced his newest song “Ugly”, which had only been released the day before. Odell began the song with a dedication: “To anybody in the audience who might’ve had a moment in their lives where they looked at themselves and didn’t like what they saw, I want to remind those people tonight that you are in fact incredibly beautiful, and I dedicate this song to you,”. Odell’s powerful vocals warmed up the crowd quickly, with even those who had never heard his music before loudly cheering him on. While his set was short, it set the room abuzz and laid the groundwork for an incredible night to follow.
The Lumineers followed soon after, opening with “Same Old Song”, the lead single from their newest album Automatic. The energy in the room was immediately electric. The band played old favorites like “Flowers in Your Hair” and “Charlie Boy”, and sprinkled in hits from the new album. Before playing “Asshole”, Schultz remarked that several people in his life, including his wife of over ten years, Brandy, thought he was an asshole when they first met him. In a way, Schultz presented “Asshole” as an ode to those in the audience who seem rough and ragged around the edges.
They then played “BRIGHTSIDE”, the titular track off of their fourth album, and Schultz jumped down into the pit to make his way through the crowd. He made it all the way to the rafters in the section farthest from the stage, giving fans high fives along the way. Shortly after, the band started their dark ballad “Salt and the Sea” from their album III, and brought Tom Odell back out to the stage with loud cheers from the audience ensuing. He joined Schultz on vocals for the second verse, adding a deeper layer to an already emotionally charged song. They couldn’t let Odell leave without showcasing his incredible piano playing alongside Fraites’ own talent; Fraites slid over on his bench making room for Odell to sit next to him, and the two played the piano outro together.
As the night continued, a fan favorite, “Big Parade”, began. Schultz announced that the band was going to try something different– instead of him singing the whole song, all seven of the band members were going to take their own verse. As they traded off, Schultz gave a quick intro for each of them. First up was Lauren Jacobson, violinist extraordinaire. Guitarist and percussionist Brandon Miller took the next verse, and the crowd learned that he initially started as a member of the band’s crew, but he was so talented that they asked him to join them on stage. Then came Byron Isaacs’ turn, The Lumineers’ bass player of over ten years who they met while recording their second album, Cleopatra. Stelth Ulvang was next, who Schultz coined the “Pedro Pascal of the piano”. Ulvang was so excited to take his turn that he accidentally ripped the cord out of his microphone when running over to center stage. While he didn’t sing, percussionist Reverend Derek Brown was the next to be featured; Fraites let him take over his drum kit for a solo that made the crowd go wild. Finally, Schultz put the spotlight on Fraites, who according to Schultz was about to do something that in the twenty years of making music together he hadn’t done– sing in front of a crowd. The crowd went wild. In the verse Fraites sang, the final line was fittingly “They know all his words by heart, by heart and they all sing”.
As the evening was starting to come to an end, Schultz let the audience know that they had been playing with heavy hearts– at the end of May, his younger brother, Sam, suddenly passed away from a heart attack. The band was in Europe at the time, over 4,000 miles away from their shared hometown of Denver, Colorado, but Schultz decided to carry on with the tour. He remarked that “nights like this are really healing,” and that he was “in a strange headspace, but [he’s] also in one that provides [him] with a little bit of clarity on what music has meant to [him],”. Just the week before their run at The Forum, the band headlined Mile High Stadium in Denver, making Colorado history by being the first local artists to do so. The very next day they all attended Sam’s funeral. Following Schultz’ tribute, they then dedicated their next song to Sam, an emotional cover of Billy Joel’s “New York State of Mind”.
They finished the night with arguably their biggest hits– “Cleopatra” and “Stubborn Love”. One of the most powerful lyrics in the latter is “It’s better to feel pain, than nothing at all. The opposite of love’s indifference”; a very fitting closing to an emotional night of both the band and audience coming together to use live music to heal. “I’m also just grateful that I get to pour my heart out and just give some sort of service to other people in this time, because I feel like I would be useless otherwise. So thank you for letting us serve you guys… thank you for being here, thank you for letting us pour our hearts out and mean something,” said Schultz.
Check out our favourite photos of the night below or head to our Facebook page for the full gallery!
The Lumineers have several stops left on their Automatic World Tour; find more info here.
Upcoming Automatic World Tour Dates:
2025
8/13 Bend, OR Hayden Homes Amphitheater
8/14 Bend, OR Hayden Homes Amphitheater
8/16 Seattle, WA T-Mobile Park
8/30 Chicago, IL Soldier Field
9/3 Darien Center, NY Darien Lake Amphitheater
9/6 Washington, DC Nationals Park
9/8 Toronto, ON Budweiser Stage
9/9 Toronto, ON Budweiser Stage
9/11 Louisville, KY Bourbon & Beyond Festival
9/13 Detroit, MI Comerica Park
9/16 Raleigh, NC Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek
9/17 Charlotte, NC PNC Music Pavilion
9/19 Philadelphia, PA Citizens Bank Park
9/21 Richmond, VA Iron Blossom Music Festival
9/23 Greenville, SC Bon Secours Wellness Arena
9/26 Charleston, SC Credit One Stadium
9/27 Savannah, GA Enmarket Arena
9/30 Columbus, OH Schottenstein Center
10/1 Grand Rapids, MI Van Andel Arena
10/3 Nashville, TN Bridgestone Arena
10/4 Atlanta, GA State Farm Arena
10/7 Hollywood, FL Hard Rock Live at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
10/8 Tampa, FL Amalie Arena
10/10 The Woodlands, TX The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion presented by Huntsman
10/11 Fort Worth, TX Dickies Arena
10/14 Austin, TX Moody Center
10/17 Mexico City, MX Pepsi Center WTC
10/18 Mexico City, MX Pepsi Center WTC
11/7 Scottsdale, AZ Dreamy Draw Festival
2026
1/3 Christchurch, NZ Christchurch Town Hall
1/6 Auckland, NZ Spark Arena
1/9 Melbourne, AU Sidney Myer Music Bowl
1/13 Brisbane, AU Brisbane Entertainment Centre
1/16 Sydney, AU Qudos Bank Arena
1/18 Adelaide, AU Adelaide Entertainment Centre
1/21 Perth, AU RAC Arena
1/24 Singapore, SG Fort Canning Green
1/27 Manila, PH New Frontier Theater
1/29 Tokyo, JP Zepp Haneda
2/1 Delhi, IN Huda Ground
2/4 Cape Town, ZA Grand Arena at Grand West
2/7 Pretoria, ZA Sunbet Arena at Time Square Casino
THE LUMINEERS
TOM ODELL
All Photo Credit: Kelsie Kerr
Concerts Reviews
The Offspring Supercharge Victoria With A Night of Hits
The Offspring kicked off the Canadian leg of their Supercharged World Tour in Victoria on January 22, and from the jump, it felt like more than just another tour stop. For decades, they’ve stood tall in punk rock history, firmly planted on the genre’s Rushmore alongside Green Day, NOFX, and Bad Religion. They even helped spark the rise of one of Canada’s own legends, Sum 41. The timing of this tour couldn’t be better either, landing right after the release of Supercharged, an album that pulls together different eras of the band into one fast, loud, and familiar rush. With a fresh record to celebrate and a hit-stacked catalog that spans generations, it’s easy to see why thousands showed up to sell out the Save-On Foods Memorial Centre.
Even before stepping inside, the night already felt alive. Fans swarmed the area, and more than a few leaned fully into the fun, rocking full Pretty Fly Guy fits. Once inside, that energy expanded. What felt like hundreds instantly turned into thousands, and you could feel it was one of those passing the torch kind of nights. Fans who grew up blasting Smash, Self-Titled, and Ignition brought their kids along to experience the music that helped shape their own teenage years. It didn’t take long to realize this crowd was ready to go off. But before The Offspring hit the stage, punk royalty took over.
“We promised you we’d play here again Victoria, sorry it took us 25 years.” With that, Bad Religion had the room eating out of their hands. The Cali punk icons ripped straight into classics like “Punk Rock Song,” “Recipe For Hate,” and “American Jesus,” keeping the energy sky high from start to finish. Every song hit hard, every chorus was shouted back, and by the time they wrapped up, Victoria was fully primed for what was coming next.
Then, it was go time. The Offspring burst onto the stage and wasted no time, opening with “Come Out and Play.” The reaction was instant. Fans were on their feet in seconds, screaming every word and even belting out the guitar riff like it was second nature. There was no warm up period here, just straight chaos. Noodles made his presence felt without saying a word, flashing Abolish ICE on the back of his guitar, a quiet but powerful reminder of punk’s roots. Front and center, Dexter was unstoppable. Locked in, bursting with energy, and sounding every bit as sharp as he did in the 90s. Any doubts about whether he still had it were gone before the first song even ended.
The setlist was deep, stretching across 20 tracks and touching nearly every major chapter of the band’s career. Smash, Americana, Rise and Fall, and Supercharged all got their moment. Songs like “Bad Habit,” “Hammerhead,” and “Make It All Right” sent the crowd into full meltdown mode. Fans didn’t just sing along, they gave everything back, lyric for lyric, letting the band know exactly how much these songs have meant over the years. The Offspring also kept things unpredictable, tossing in covers that somehow fit perfectly into the madness. “Hey Jude,” “I Wanna Be Sedated,” and even “In the Hall of the Mountain King” popped up. One of the most powerful moments of the night came when Dex sat down at the piano for “Gone Away,” pulling the entire arena into a quiet, emotional pause that hit just as hard as the chaos.
As the night raced toward its finish line, things went nuclear. The final stretch was pure fan service in the best way possible. “Pretty Fly (For a White Guy),” sent the place into celebration mode, and when the encore rolled around with “You’re Gonna Go Far, Kid,” before closing it all out with “Self Esteem,” the building was shaking. During “Far Kid,” a zeppelin balloon floated across the arena flashing the iconic “Dance Fucker Dance” line and the crowd happily obeyed. Confetti erupted during the final chorus, turning the moment into total chaos in the most perfect way. Between moments like that and the relentless energy these legends brought to the stage, it’s easy to understand how they’ve stayed at the top of the genre for so long. The Offspring gave Victoria a night it won’t soon forget, and if this was just the start of the Canadian run, the rest of the country is in for a wild ride.
Check out our favourite photos of the night below or head to our Facebook page for the full gallery!
Upcoming The Offspring: SUPERCHARGED WORLDWIDE in ‘26 Tour Dates:
Sat Jan 24 — Vancouver, BC — Rogers Arena
Sun Jan 25 — Kelowna, BC — Prospera Place
Tue Jan 27 — Prince George, BC — CN Centre
Wed Jan 28 — Grande Prairie, AB — Bonnetts Energy Centre
Fri Jan 30 — Edmonton, AB — Rogers Place
Sun Feb 01 — Calgary, AB — Scotiabank Saddledome
Thu Feb 05 — Winnipeg, MB — Canada Life Centre
Fri Feb 06 — Fargo, ND — FARGODOME
Sat Feb 07 — Sioux City, IA — Tyson Events Center
Tue Feb 10 — Evansville, IN — Ford Center
Wed Feb 11 — Grand Rapids, MI — Van Andel Arena
Fri Feb 13 — Hamilton, ON — TD Coliseum
Sat Feb 14 — London, ON — Canada Life Place
Tue Feb 17 — Peterborough, ON — Peterborough Memorial Centre
Thu Feb 19 — Ottawa, ON — Canadian Tire Centre
Sat Feb 21 — Montreal, QC — Bell Centre
Mon Feb 23 — Moncton, NB — Avenir Centre
Tue Feb 24 — Halifax, NS — Scotiabank Centre
More information at TheOffspring.com.
THE OFFSPRING
All Photo Credit: Marquise Monno
Concerts Reviews
TWICE Kick Off the North American Leg of their THIS IS FOR World Tour With Two Hours of Joy
TWICE have spent the last decade growing from a bubbly K-pop rookie group into one of the most reliable live pop acts on the planet. Formed in 2015 through JYP Entertainment’s show Sixteen, the nine-member group (Nayeon, Jeongyeon, Momo, Sana, Jihyo, Mina, Dahyun, Chaeyoung, and Tzuyu) built their reputation on sharp choreography, sticky hooks, and a rare sense of longevity in an industry that moves fast. Their <THIS IS FOR> World Tour marks another big step, as their 10th Anniversary tour. Vancouver got the honour of opening the North American leg, with night one landing at Rogers Arena on January 9.
This show carried weight: it’s the first night of a new leg, first of two sold-out Vancouver dates, first time TWICE ever performed here. Or so they kept saying (more on that later).
Before the doors even opened, the sense of community hit hard. This was my first K-pop concert, and the concourse felt almost like a fan convention. ONCE (as TWICE fans are called) showed up early and prepared. Freebies were everywhere: fake Canadian bills printed with member faces, bracelets, banners, fake concert tickets as keepsakes. People traded gifts with strangers like it was normal, and it ruled. It reminded me of the exchange of bracelets at Taylor Swift’s shows.
Outfits ranged from full music video cosplay to subtle nods. Candy Bongs (TWICE’s lightstick) lit up the building in every direction. Someone even brought a giant inflatable Candy Bong that eventually made it onstage. Jihyo got her hands on it during “Scientist” and used it to whack her own members. No notes.
The lights dropped just after 8 p.m. “FOUR” played in the dark while Candy Bongs glowed across the arena. A massive 360-degree stage sat in the middle, with towering LED screens hanging above. The scale felt serious. TWICE rose into view and launched straight into “THIS IS FOR.” The scream from the crowd swallowed the mix.
Act I leaned heavy on confidence. “Strategy,” “MAKE ME GO,” “SET ME FREE,” and “I CAN’T STOP ME” landed clean and tight as this group moves with muscle memory built over ten years. The ments showed real excitement and a touch of nervousness. Kudos to the translator who helped both members and fans understanding each other as most members spoke mainly in Korean.
Act II raised the emotional stakes. “MARS” and “I GOT YOU” hit with warm vocals. “Gone” stood out for me, especially with the arrangement with the live band. Jihyo and Nayeon owned it. “CRY FOR ME” and “HELL IN HEAVEN” kept the intensity high. “RIGHT HAND GIRL” pulled huge cheers, proof that deep cuts still matter.
Then came the solos. This section turned the show into a full showcase. Tzuyu opened with “DIVE IN,” graceful and controlled. Mina followed with “STONE COLD.” Nayeon brought pop chaos with “MEEEEEE.” Jeongyeon surprised with “FIX A DRINK,” leaning into a country edge that somehow worked. The pink, glittery cowboy outfit was perfect for it. Dahyun played piano during “CHESS” and owned the room. Chaeyoung returned to the stage with “SHOOT (Firecracker),” and the welcome back energy was real. She had missed several dates earlier in the 1st leg of the tour, and you could feel the relief from then fans as the group back to OT9. Jihyo’s “ATM” confirmed what I already suspected. She has unreal stage presence and total command of the crowd. Sana softened the mood with “DECAFFEINATED.” Momo closed the solo run with “MOVE LIKE THAT,” pure movement and confidence.
Then it was time for the “TAKEDOWN” curveball. Jeongyeon, Jihyo, and Chaeyoung debuted it live on this tour, pulled from the Netflix hit K-Pop Demon Hunters. The arena lost its mind. I knew and loved the song going in, but I did not expect that reaction. The honmoon was clearly sealed after that performance.
Act IV was wall-to-wall hits. “FANCY,” “What Is Love?,” “YES or YES,” and “Dance the Night Away” turned the arena into a giant singalong. The fan dance cam kicked in before the encore and ONCE showed up prepared with sharp choreography.
The encore opened with “SCIENTIST,” another tour debut. Before the final song, the members talked again about Vancouver. Nine years ago, they filmed the “Likey” music video in Vancouver. That explained why they ended the show “LIKEY,” an unusual closer that was direct nod to the city. The crowd loved it and screamed the lyrics back at the members.
I walked in knowing only a handful of songs and very little about the members, and I walked out with a bias (Jihyo earned that spot without debate) and a smile on my face. More than that, I left understanding why TWICE have lasted this long. Here’s to ten more years!
Upcoming THIS IS FOR Tour Dates:
1/10 – Rogers Arena – Vancouver, BC
1/13 – Climate Pledge Arena – Seattle, WA
1/14 – Climate Pledge Arena – Seattle, WA
1/17 – Oakland Arena – Oakland, CA
1/18 – Oakland Arena – Oakland, CA
1/21 – Kia Forum – Los Angeles, CA
1/22 – Kia Forum – Los Angeles, CA
1/24 – Kia Forum – Los Angeles, CA
1/25 – Kia Forum – Los Angeles, CA
1/28 – PHX Arena – Phoenix, AZ
1/31 – American Airlines Center – Dallas, TX
2/01 – American Airlines Center – Dallas, TX
2/13 – Capital One Arena – Washington, DC
2/14 – Capital One Arena – Washington, DC
2/18 – UBS Arena – Belmont Park, NY
2/20 – UBS Arena – Belmont Park, NY
2/21 – UBS Arena – Belmont Park, NY
2/24 – Xfinity Mobile Arena – Philadelphia, PA
2/27 – State Farm Arena – Atlanta, GA
3/03 – Bell Centre – Montreal, QC
3/06 – TD Coliseum – Hamilton, ON
3/07 – TD Coliseum – Hamilton, ON
3/27 – Kia Center – Orlando, FL
3/28 – Kia Center – Orlando, FL*
3/31 – Spectrum Center – Charlotte, NC
4/03 – TD Garden – Boston, MA
4/04 – TD Garden – Boston, MA
4/06 – United Center – Chicago, IL
4/07 – United Center – Chicago, IL
4/10 – Little Caesars Arena – Detroit, MI
4/12 – Grand Casino Arena – Saint Paul, MN
4/14 – Ball Arena – Denver, CO
4/17 – Moody Center – Austin, TX
4/18 – Moody Center – Austin, TX
5/09 – MEO Arena – Lisbon, PT
5/12 – Palau Sant Jordi – Barcelona, ES
5/16 – Accor Arena – Paris, FR
5/17 – Accor Arena – Paris, FR
5/20 – Inalpi Arena – Turin, IT
5/23 – Uber Arena – Berlin, DE
5/26 – LANXESS Arena – Cologne, DE
5/30 – Ziggo Dome – Amsterdam, NL
5/31 – Ziggo Dome – Amsterdam, NL
6/03 – The O2 – London, UK
6/04 – The O2 – London, UK
More information on the tour here.