Concerts Reviews
Spiritbox Turns Vancouver Into A Tsunami Sea
May 6th marked a highly anticipated moment for metal fans in Vancouver, the return of Spiritbox. The “hometown” heroes, originally from Victoria, BC, performed their Tsunami Sea Tour to a nearly sold-out PNE Forum. The tour celebrates Tsunami Sea, Spiritbox’s sophomore studio album which released this past March to rave reviews. As a longtime fan, the announcement of the Forum as the tour stop felt significant as it signaled the group had grown exponentially since their last show in the city in 2023 at the Commodore Ballroom. Their impressive trajectory comes to no fan’s surprise as the past few years have been nothing but an uphill climb. From multiple Grammy nominations to major festival appearances, and most recently, Courtney LaPlante’s performance alongside Megan Thee Stallion at Coachella, Spiritbox has firmly established themselves as a major force in the modern music world.
Well before doors opened, hundreds, if not thousands, of fans wrapped around the Forum’s walls. Many of whom were spotted sporting Eternal Blue era merch, which was soon to be joined by Tsunami Sea designs. Once doors opened, energy surged immediately. The merch lines filled quickly, and fans rushed toward the barricade to secure the closest possible spot to the stage. Even for myself, a sense of energy blasted like lighting as my near six month wait for the show was finally ending. The night kicked off with a behemoth trio of opening acts: Poor Sport, Dying Wish, and LOATHE.
Poor Sport and Dying Wish tag-teamed the night with back-to-back sonic uppercuts, ramping up the chaos. Circle-pits were whirlwinds and heads banged with powerful fury. Once the baton was passed to Liverpool juggernauts LOATHE, the fuse hit the powder, and Vancouver erupted. As their set opened with “Gifted Every Strength”, a brooding atmosphere settled over the Forum. The only light came from the moody side-stage fixtures, like a prelude to a storm. Like lightning, LOATHE yanked the crowd into a whirlpool of distortion and disarray, shifting the energy from slow burn to full detonation. Vocalist Kadeem France and co. delivered a rollercoaster of emotion and brutality across an 8-song set that made one thing clear, this performance was a statement.
“Hello Vancouver! We’ve been waiting so long to say that,” Kadeem declared mid-set, signalling the band’s long-overdue debut in the city. Fans, some of whom had waited nearly a decade for this moment, responded in erupting cheers, especially during cult-favourites “Two-Way Mirror” and “Is It Really You?”. If this was anyone’s first time seeing LOATHE, they probably walked out a fan. If they were already one, they walked out grinning. Either way, the Liverpool prog-metal crew left their mark, and thankfully, it won’t be long until round two, as they return this October. This time, at Vancouver’s staple venue Rogers Arena, as they’ll be opening for none other than metal gods Korn.
Though only minutes passed between LOATHE and Spiritbox, it felt like the air itself was holding its breath. Around me, fans swapped stories, revisiting earlier sets, reliving Spiritbox’s last time in town, and speculating nervously about what might unfold. The room buzzed with a tension that no stage light could touch. Then, just after 9 p.m., the lights dimmed and time snapped back into motion. A low, pulsing bass crept in like a heartbeat, and on screen, an image of a burning ship appeared. That was the moment the crowd went silent, the collective anticipation crashing inward. This was it, the moment we’ve waited months for finally arrived.
The set kicked off with “Fata Morgana,” the opening track from Tsunami Sea, and Spiritbox wasted no time. Guitarist Mike Stringer, bassist Josh Gilbert, and drummer Zev Rose unleashed a tidal wave of sound, distorting the stage with unapologetic force. With it, fans answered by turning the Forum floor into a literal Tsunami Sea of crowd-surfers. While the instrumental trio held command, it was singer Courtney LaPlante’s arrival that detonated the room. One moment, anticipation; the next, ignition. A single line, “Sorrow follows me” ripped through the atmosphere, and with it, Vancouver surrendered their sanity.
Courtney’s vocals defy easy description, guttural and feral one moment, hauntingly angelic the next. On tracks like “Soft Spine”and “Holy Roller,” her screams felt ripped from another dimension, only to dissolve into ethereal tones of chilling beauty. It’s this duality, violence and grace, that sets her apart in the metal world. The night’s 16-track setlist was a showcase of the band’s evolution while celebrating their latest release, Tsunami Sea. Spiritbox left little room for breath as they moved with intention through their catalog, each track bleeding seamlessly into the next. Fan-favourites like “No Love, No Loss,” “Secret Garden,” and “Jaded”drew thunderous reactions. Visually, the black-and-white aesthetic of Tsunami Sea took center stage, and transformed the Forum into a monochrome fever dream. At times, the stage visuals verged on eerie, even nightmarish, casting an almost horror-film filter over the performance. Spiritbox’s set wasn’t without its surprises, with two standout guest appearances that elevated an already electrifying performance.
Midway through the night, Noah Edwards of Poor Sport took the stage to join Courtney on vocals for “Circle With Me,” giving the fan-favourite track an added jolt of intensity. Later, Jessie Grace of Don’t Deserve A Grave stepped in for “No Love, No Loss,” her contribution added grit to the already hard-hitting number. While LaPlante’s vocal versatility was front and centre throughout the night, guitarist Mike Stringer delivered a standout performance of his own. Nowhere was this more evident than on “Black Rainbow,” where his precision and force cut through the venue like a blade. Working in perfect tandem with drummer Zev and bassist Josh, the trio built a breakdown that felt cinematic in scale. A thunderous, tightly-wound moment that echoed the intensity of Mick Gordon’s Doom soundtrack.
Spiritbox closed the night with “Ride the Wave,” a track that began with a haunting elegance reminiscent of Evanescence’s The Open Door era, before erupting into a thunderous, full-scale finale. The crowd, far from weary, left the venue visibly buzzing, many already clamouring for more. For a band known for intensity, Spiritbox exceeded even their own reputation, delivering a performance many fans were calling flawless.
With Tsunami Sea representing what may be the band’s most cohesive and ambitious work to date, expectations for this show were sky-high. Yet, by the final note, those expectations were obliterated. The set was sharp, emotionally charged, and showcased a band fully stepping into their prime. For years, it’s been clear Spiritbox had the potential to break through. With a near-capacity crowd at Vancouver’s PNE Forum, that potential is no longer a prediction, it’s reality. At this pace, it’s not hard to imagine their next Vancouver stop being a headlining slot at Rogers Arena.
I’d like to thank Spiritbox and their incredible team for allowing me to capture the magic that was the Tsunami Sea Tour. If you’d like to catch a future date, or find out more info on the band, visit here.
Check out our favourite photos of the night below or head to our Facebook page for the full gallery!
SPIRITBOX
LOATHE
All Photo Credit: Marquise Monno
Concerts Reviews
LIVE REVIEW: Said The Whale Celebrate 20 Years with Sold-Out Vancouver Homecoming
On Saturday, April 11th, indie hometown heroes Said The Whale brought their 20th Anniversary Tour to a sold-out Hollywood Theatre in Vancouver.
Friends, family, casual listeners and diehard fans (coined SaidHeads) packed the venue for a celebration of the band’s two decades of recording and releasing music. The band took the audience through the evolution of their seven studio albums, throwing it back all the way to Howe Sounds/Taking Abalonia (2008) to their most recent studio release Dandelion (2021). The Vancouver five-piece consists of primary songwriters, guitarists, and lead vocalists Tyler Bancroft and Ben Worcester, alongside longtime members Jaycelyn Brown (keys, vocals) and Spencer Schoening (drums), with Lincoln Hotchen on bass.
It felt like a very personal and intimate show, with the band handling their own changeover after the opener’s set before returning to the stage to a warm welcome from the hometown audience.
Said The Whale opened the show with the deep cut “Love Is Art / Sleep Through Fire”, a track that captures the group at their core—beginning with Worcester’s acoustic intro before Bancroft joins on vocals, culminating with the whole band joining in on their signature rich harmonies. The song was later released on the 10th anniversary edition of their 2009 album Islands Disappear—a track that feels almost criminally absent from the original release. Worcester’s folk-leaning songwriting continued with deep cut “Fish and Stars II” and “The Banks of the English Bay” before shifting into Bancroft’s more rock-driven tracks, including “UnAmerican,” “Camilo (The Magician),” and “This City’s a Mess,” which got the crowd on their feet. Particularly, drummer Spencer Schoening shone during these faster-paced songs, adding tasteful fills and hitting the kit with power.
The night eventually moved into the acoustic section—often a dreaded moment at shows—but for Said The Whale, it’s something they do best. Bancroft took time to applaud the opening act, Blue Jay Valley, an elementary school punk band made up of students from grades 5 to 7. Their dads even stepped in as roadies, helping clear the gear after their set. Reflecting on his own kids, Bancroft then introduced “Level Best,” a song about his unconditional love for them. It was a truly beautiful moment, and a class act as well, with Bancroft noting that while they could have chosen any local opener, they instead gave the stage to kids who genuinely deserved the opportunity.
Usually not one to take centre stage, and often the quietest presence, keyboardist Jaycelyn Brown stepped into the spotlight as Worcester and Bancroft exited, performing the beautiful acoustic piano piece “February 15,” which she dedicated to her husband. Despite a minor flubbed note, Brown kept things lighthearted, joking that at least the audience knew it was live.
During “99 to the Moon,” the rhythm section re-entered, keeping the upbeat songs coming with “Wake Up”, “Black Day in December”, “My Government Heart”, “Honey Lungs,” and the electric “I Love You.” Ending the main set, the band perfectly chose “Goodnight Moon,” with Bancroft breaking out a ukulele, and the song culminating in an all-out sing-along. In true Said The Whale fashion, the band returned to a roar of applause, slowing things down with two fitting closers, “Dandelion” and the beautiful acoustic “Curse of the Currents,” leaving fans with warm hearts as they filed out.
The best part of a Said The Whale show is the unpredictability of the setlist. Ranging from big hits to deep cuts, the experience blends familiarity with surprise, letting fans hear favourites while discovering unexpected gems. It’s always such a treat when the band plays a hometown show, and it’s an intimate experience like no other.
Check out our favourite photos of the night below or head to our Facebook page for the full gallery!
SAID THE WHALE IN VANCOUVER
All Photo Credit: Hunter Soo
Concerts Reviews
LIVE REVIEW: Jackson Wang Brings MAGICMAN II’s Theatrical Spectacle to Vancouver
If you didn’t know Jackson Wang before Sunday night, you definitely left the Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre knowing exactly who he is.
Jackson Wang is a Hong Kong-born artist who first gained international recognition as a member of K-pop group GOT7 before launching his solo career in 2017. Since then, he’s built a reputation that extends far beyond music, headlining global tours, performing at Coachella, and founding his own fashion label, Team Wang. He’s also been unusually candid about the pressures of the entertainment industry, and his 2025 album MAGICMAN 2 marked a return after a year-long hiatus, offering a more introspective and emotionally raw body of work than its predecessor.
I’ll admit I wasn’t deeply familiar with Jackson Wang‘s discography going into this show. But I’d heard the hype that his concerts were more theatrical productions than standard arena performances, and I was curious to see what all the fuss was about.
Walking into the venue last night, you could feel the energy form the fans. This was a sold-out crowd, and the devotion of Wang‘s fanbase was evident before the lights even dimmed. No opener meant all eyes were fixed on that stage from the moment doors opened. Though lightsticks weren’t permitted, fans improvised with small finger lights, creating that signature sea of glowing lights you’d expect at a K-pop show.
When the venue went dark, the screams were immediate ; the fans behind me already losing their voices. A cinematic intro played across the massive screens. The MAGICMAN II tour is structured almost like a film, divided into narrative arcs with video interludes bridging each section. Then Wang appeared, suspended mid-air on wires, a single spotlight cutting through the darkness. “High Alone” kicked off the night with him literally running in place above his dancers before descending to join them.
From there, the production only intensified. “Access” brought flames shooting from the stage, deep red lighting washing over the arena, and dancers in black with matching dark eye makeup mirroring Wang‘s MAGICMAN alter ego. The choreography was sharp, the atmosphere thick with smoke and lasers. It looked like a visual album brought to life in front of us.
The emotional turns came quickly. “Hate to Love” slowed things down as fog rolled across the stage, and by the end of the song, dancers were physically restraining Wang, pulling at his clothing until he reemerged in a mesh tank top under red light. I lived the drama of it all as Wang leaned into the theatricality of vulnerability here.
Then came the fan service. Wang invited audience members onstage (first one, then a group of four) seating them at centre stage while he and his dancers performed around them. The choreography was sensual, almost Magic Mike-esque, complete with body rolls and hip thrusts. The participants looked both shocked and thrilled, and the crowd absolutely lost it. A girl behind told her friends “I would do anything to be on that stage with him.”
Another video interlude shifted the mood again. Onscreen, Wang appeared in crisis, drinking heavily, breaking down emotionally, his dark alter ego looming. When he returned to the stage in a loose, straitjacket-inspired white outfit, it was clear we’d entered the most introspective portion of the night. “Blue” and “Everything” hit hard, with dancers floating around him in slow, fluid movements. For “Dopamine,” he asked the audience to raise their phone (and finger) flashlights. It was genuinely beautiful.
The hip-hop segment that followed brought the high energy back up. Wang and his dancers returned in baggy sweats and baseball caps, launching into “BUCK,” “Let Loose,” “TITANIC,” and “GBAD.” “Get your fucking ass up, Vancouver. You guys worked hard, you deserve to fucking have fun!” he told us before the bass dropped. The crowd obliged right away.
A nearly ten-minute video monologue preceded the final act, featuring behind-the-scenes footage and Wang reflecting on his year away from music, reconnecting with himself, with his parents, with what actually matters. When he returned to perform “Sophie Ricky,” a ballad dedicated to his parents, childhood photos flickered across the screens in a tender and earnest moment.
The encore was less a traditional finale than a full-blown afterparty. Green lasers flooded the venue, and Wang, living up to his party man reputation, went down in the pit and pulled fans onstage. For nearly thirty minutes, the arena became a dance floor. His parting message was simple: be yourself, and cherish the people around you.
Walking out into the night, I understood the devotion. Jackson Wang shared a raw version of himself with us during this show. And that kind of honesty, wrapped in this much spectacle, is rare.
Check out our favourite photos of the night below or head to our Facebook page for the full gallery!
Upcoming MAGICMAN II tour dates:
04/08 Rosemont, IL – Allstate Arena
04/10 Brooklyn, NY – Barclays Center
04/12 Toronto, ON – Coca-Cola Coliseum
More information via Ticketmaster.
JACKSON WANG IN VANCOUVER
All Photo Credit: Caroline Charruyer