Concerts Reviews
Radical Optimism, French Edition: Dua Lipa in Paris – Live Review
Paris, France @ Paris La Défense Arena on May 23, 2025
Dua Lipa turned Paris into a giant dancefloor last Friday, kicking off two back-to-back sold-out nights at La Défense Arena. With 90,000 fans packing the venue across both shows, the energy was massive and so was the setlist.
I had a Fosse OR ticket for night one, which meant access to the golden pit. Knowing how chaotic this venue can get, I showed up early (as in five hours early) to grab a good spot. The line was actually a good time. I met some great people and swapped stories about past shows. But once the doors opened, things got intense. Folks pushed, elbowed, and ignored any sense of personal space. It made me miss the (relatively) polite pit culture back in Canada. Still, once Dua hit the stage, the crowd mayhem faded fast.
She launched the show with “Training Season,” and the tone was set. Dua’s stage presence is smooth but commanding. There are no a lot of theatrics, just sharp visuals, solid vocals, and great choreography. “End of an Era” and “Break My Heart” came next, making it clear she wasn’t easing into things. This was a full-on sprint through her discography.
One of the most fun moments came before “These Walls,” when Dua made her way down to the barricade to chat with fans and take selfies. She even played rock paper scissors with someone in the front row. After that, she walked down to the end of the thrust and carried on.
The Radical Optimism tracks hit just as hard live as the hits she’s best known for. “Whatcha Doing,” “These Walls,” “Maria,” and “Illusion” all landed with big reactions. But the surprise of the night (and my personal highlight) was her cover of “Lolita” by Alizée. It’s part of her ongoing tour tradition to cover one song from the country she’s in, and in Paris, she absolutely nailed it. The crowd freaked, phones went up, and fans sang every word.
Later, she brought the house down with high-energy staples like “Physical,” “Electricity,” and “Hallucinate.” But instead of closing the main set with a big club banger, she brought it in closer with “Be the One.” Once again, she returned to the barricade and sang it with fans, making the moment special.
Then came the encore, and she didn’t hold back. “New Rules” kicked it off, and the crowd instantly snapped back into full voice mode. “Dance the Night” kept the party going, while “Don’t Start Now” had the whole arena jumping like it was 2020 all over again (her now-famous dance move nowhere to be seen sadly – it was a nice little iykyk moment on her Future Nostalgia tour). She wrapped the night with “Houdini.” It was the perfect cap to a set that hit every high, and then some.
Dua’s Paris crowd was wild, but they showed up for the right reasons. She’s got a grip on what a pop show should be in 2025. Smart pacing, big hooks, and just enough surprise to keep you talking about it days later. Just Dua Lipa owning the stage and reminding everyone why she’s one of the best doing it right now.
I’ll be catching her again in Seattle this October, where she wraps her North American leg. Hopefully the pit will be a little less pushy, but if it’s not, I’ll still be there. Worth it.
More info on the Radical Optimism tour here.
Concerts Reviews
LIVE REVIEW: Goldfinger Keep the Pit Moving and the Shoes Flying in Vancouver
On April 17th, the Commodore Ballroom in Vancouver felt like a ska-punk time warp, with California punk legends Goldfinger supporting their new album, Nine Lives.
Sullvn got things rolling with a set that didn’t waste any time. Within minutes, hats were flying into the crowd like it was a merch-based game show, and the vibe quickly turned into organized chaos. They brought to the stage Dicky Barrett, former frontman of Mighty Mighty Bosstones for their hit “Raise a Glass”.
Next up was Broadway Calls, proving once again that a three-piece can absolutely shake a room. Their brand of fast, hooky punk tore through the crowd, with songs like “Call It Off” and “Back to Oregon” landing like instant jolts of energy. By the time they wrapped, the room was fully ready for Goldfinger.
Right away, frontman John Feldmann started doing crowd math. “How many of you are under 20?” A few scattered hands. “Over 40?” A lot more hands. He laughed and proudly stated that to still be doing this 32 years later as the best feeling in the world. This wasn’t a band clinging to nostalgia… but they also weren’t about to ignore it.
From there, it turned into the kind of chaos Goldfinger shows are known for, a non-stop blur of songs, crowd surfers, and, of course, the sacred tradition of shoes flying through the air. Somewhere along the way, footwear stopped being optional and started being part of the performance. Pairs were held up like trophies, launched across the room, or lost to the pit entirely. If you managed to leave with both shoes still accounted for, honestly, that’s a personal victory. The setlist leaned into exactly what people wanted. “Here in Your Bedroom,” “Chasing Amy” “Counting the Days”, all the hits, all loud, all sung back at the band like it was a group project. The floor barely stayed still for more than a few seconds, and the security team definitely got their steps in from the steady stream of crowd surfers.
During “Mable,” they pulled fans up on stage to dance, turning the whole thing into a slightly chaotic, very wholesome party. And then… “Superman.” The reaction was instant. Like, no hesitation, full-body nostalgia. The second it started, it felt like half the room got mentally transported back to playing Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2 in their living rooms. Suddenly, everyone knew every word (even the ones they probably didn’t know they knew), and the energy somehow went up another level. It wasn’t just a highlight, it was the moment.
When it wrapped at the Commodore Ballroom, the place was wrecked in the best way – sweaty, shoeless, and buzzing. Still, no one seemed in any hurry to leave.
Check out our favourite photos of the night below or head to our Facebook page for the full gallery!
GOLDFINGER
BROADWAY CALLS
SULLVN
All Photo Credit: Heather Horncastle
Concerts Reviews
LIVE REVIEW: Face to Face with Sevendust in Riverside, Iowa
For close to thirty years, Hard Rock’s Sevendust has graced hundreds of stages all over the world, playing sell-out shows to rabid fans. The band, fronted by LaJon Witherspoon, has been recognized for its soulful vocals, hard-hitting riffs from Clint Lowery and John Connolly, thumping bass from Vince Hornsby, and monstrous drum sounds and screams from Morgan Rose. Riverside, Iowa was treated to the full Sevendust experience on Friday night.
The Riverside Casino Event Center has played host to events ranging from poker tournaments to keynote speakers, but on Friday it served as the setting for an amazing night of rock. The show started off with Iowa City–local band NonGrata. NonGrata has become very well known in the Eastern Iowa music scene, having opened for bands like Alien Ant Farm, Norma Jean, Archers, and will be opening for DED this summer. Blending groovy guitars with crisp clean vocals and harsh screams, the band delivers a sound that makes you want to jump out of your seat and stage dive. Although Sevendust was the main attraction on Friday night, everyone enjoyed NonGrata. They were a great choice to open the show and get people excited before Sevendust took the stage. NonGrata will be playing shows in Eastern Iowa throughout the year, and Midwest locals should take the chance to see a new band.
After an hour pre-show delay due to the weather, fans were itching to get out of their seats as anticipation for Sevendust taking the stage rose. Riverside was the second show of the One Tour, but there was no sign of early tour woes as the band broke right into Home. The 1999 track off the album of the same name was a great opener, carrying a hint of nostalgia and a whole lot of feeling. Witherspoon made an early effort to cross from side to side, ensuring every fan had the opportunity to interact with him. Stage presence is always among the highlights of a Sevendust show. Fans know they are going to get two things when they go to a Sevendust show: amazing music and plenty of interaction. The great music kept rolling as the second track of the night was a crowd favorite, Denial. The band was joined by hundreds of backup singers who knew every word, creating an ambiance that added essential energy to the environment.
The band seemed emotional in response to how well they were received by the Riverside crowd. After spending significant time in Europe to start the year, Sevendust said it was good to be home. Because these were among the first U.S. shows of the year, American fans had not yet had the opportunity to hear songs from the band’s upcoming album, One, live. The first chance came with the third song of the night, Is This the Real You. Although the Riverside crowd had never heard the song live, that did not stop them from singing along. Sevendust also played two other new tracks from the forthcoming album, Unbreakable and Threshold. Both sounded great live, and anticipation for the new album is high. Based on the reactions to the new material, the album will likely be well received when it comes out in two weeks on May 1.
The focus on new music did not stop Sevendust from breaking into its classics. The setlist was full of songs a Sevendust show would be incomplete without; Praise, Enemy, Waffle, and Black all had their place in the night. It truly was the complete Sevendust experience. The night could not end, however, without an encore of Rumble Fish and Face to Face. Even though the crowd was treated to a 15-song main set and a two-song encore, they still yearned for more. Unfortunately, all good shows must come to an end, but with 25 dates left on the One Tour, there will be plenty of opportunities to see Sevendust again this year.
One comes out May 1.
Check out our favorite photos of the night below or head to our Facebook page for the full gallery!
Upcoming tour dates:
4/20 – Indianapolis, IN
4/21 – Lexington, KY
4/22 – Birmingham, AL
4/24 – Mobile, AL
4/25 – Destin, FL
4/26 – Atlanta, GA (supporting Alter Bridge)
4/28 – Dallas, TX
4/29 – Oklahoma City, OK
More information on the band’s website.
SEVENDUST
NONGRATA
All Photo Credit: Ryan Renger