Remember Girl Groups? FLO Does, And They’re Damn Good at It! – Live Review

Jorja Douglas, Stella Quaresma, and Renee Downer – you know them better as the breakout British girl group FLO – hit the iconic Commodore Ballroom last weekend for their first ever (and long awaited) headliner visit to Vancouver.

The first thing that struck me after FLO emerged from behind a trio of identical red backdrops was that I couldn’t remember the last time I had seen a decent girl group live and in their prime. I’m not suggesting that they don’t exist, and maybe it’s more of a British thing more than ever these days, but I am old. I remember. I remember the Sugababes (they reappeared for a minute there, recently) and B*Witched. Girls Aloud had their moment. But when was the last time you were at a show and thought “oh shit, I didn’t realize how much I missed the original Destiny’s Child.” I know, right? This really tried to fill that gap for me, and I’m not mad.

To make this FLO review entirely about Destiny’s Child for a moment, FLO reminds me of what I nostalgically remember Destiny’s Child being like before it became the Beyonce Show; Jorja, Stella, and Renee strutted back and forth, trading moments at center stage, coming in and out of the verses as needed. It was well choreographed, and I can only imagine a nightmare series of rehearsals to get it all memorized. It made my photographer head spin, but I assume it was incredible from the crowd! Great chemistry. Teamwork makes the dream work. No notes.

They played all their bangers, as one would expect. I hadn’t heard “Walk Like This” before, which makes me sad because it is catchy as fuck, but everyone else seemed to know all the words. That goes for “AAA” and “Fly Girl” as well, which people had clearly been waiting to hear. I think “In My Bag” was played before the show began, causing those already waiting on the dancefloor to lose their fucking minds, which I bet is always a pretty good thing to hear when your backstage and so far from home.

FLO strikes me as a group better suited to a festival or opening for a top 40 hitmaker in a huge arena. Anyone can rock the Commodore, the speakers are enormous, and the springy dancefloor is legend. I don’t know exactly what I felt was missing – backdrop production quality, maybe? FLO seems like the exact kind of group that would know what to do with a long catwalk splitting the crowd, you can have that one for free, FLO’s production team. The show was excellent, and it was clear that everyone enjoyed the show. So many people figured out the theme and wore red, and that was incredible, but something kept the show from being truly memorable, and I don’t know what it is. My age, again, probably. Maybe I shouldn’t watch clips of them at Coachella before seeing them locally? It could also be that.

Speaking of Coachella, I forgot they sang “Control Freak.” How did that not make it to Vancouver? Madness.

Check out our favourite photos of the night below or head to our Facebook page for the full gallery!

Here’s the setlist from this week’s show:

AAA
Walk Like This
Check
Fly Girl
Bending My Rules
Caught Up
IWH2BMX
Nocturnal
How Does It Feel?
Soft
On & On
Get It Till I’m Gone
Shoulda Woulda Coulda
‘The Pact’ Interlude
Losing You
In My Bag
Cardboard Box

Upcoming Tour Dates for FLO:

May 20, 2025: The Masonic, San Francisco, CA
May 22, 2025: Hollywood Palladium, Los Angeles, CA
Jul 12, 2025: Lollapalooza, Berlin, Germany
Jul 19, 2025: Somerset House. London, England
Sep 28, 2025: O2 Academy, Brixton, London
Sep 29, 2025: SWG3 Studio Warehouse, Glasgow, Scotland
Oct 1, 2025: Manchester Academy, Manchester
Oct 2, 2025: O2 Academy Birmingham, Birmingham
Oct 5, 2025: TivoliVredenburg, Utrecht, NL
Oct 6, 2025: De Roma, Antwerp

All Photo Credit: Jason Martin