Concerts Reviews
Still Loud, Still Raw: Jet Takes Off in Montreal
It was a very different world the last time the Aussie band Jet played in Montreal. I, for one, was living in Mexico in the late 2000s, just preparing to go to college, my life constantly changing as I went through the motions of growing up. One constant? My first-gen iPod, always plugged into my ears, with Jet on heavy rotation.
Now, 20 years later, they finally returned to the city ahead of their first album release since 2009.
Opening the show was Band of Skulls from England, a true heavy hitter who more than warmed up the crowd. The English band, also formed in the early 2000s, is currently helmed by Russell Marsden. Their grungy garage rock was the perfect way to kick off a night full of heavy riffs and raspy vocals. They played to a quickly filling venue, treating the audience to fan favourites like “Sweet Sour” and “Something.”
Personally, I was especially enthralled by Marsden’s performance. He headbanged through riffs, darted across the stage, and rarely interacted with the crowd, not in a bad way though. You could see how lost he gets in his own world while playing music, and that kind of immersion radiated energy that was truly something to behold. It was my first time seeing them live and I enjoyed it so much that I went straight to the merch booth after their set.
At 9:00 PM, the P.A. music cut out and the Olympia crowd erupted, horn signs in the air, as the Australian natives walked onto the stage, each with a big smile. Last on was Nic Cester, rocking a white shirt, black-and-white striped pants, and brown boots to match his iconic Gibson guitar. He strolled to center stage, lowball glass in hand (likely whiskey), took a sip, put it down, picked up his guitar, and kicked off the set with Get Born’s opener: the iconic “Last Chance.”
Heavy riffs filled the venue alongside Cester’s signature raspy vocals. It was genuinely stunning how sharp and powerful he sounded, more than 20 years after the album’s release. Next came “Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is” from their second album Shine On, a song that starts slow and builds toward a ferocious, howling chorus.
The night roared on with “She’s a Genius” and “Get What You Need.” The band was incredibly tight, clearly seasoned pros delivering pure rock and roll with every beat, riff, and bassline. About halfway through, they played my personal favourite, “Black Hearts (On Fire).” The chorus explodes with raw power. Back in 2010, this was my alarm clock song. I needed that punch to wake up after too many drinks and a 7 a.m. class. Hearing it live was surreal. By the time the last riff rang out, I thought, Anything else from here is just gravy.
After a few more songs from Get Born, the pace slowed down with the anthemic “Bring It On Back,” followed by the ballad “Look What You’ve Done,” a song about emotional pain and betrayal. It showcased the band’s range beyond their usual grungy sound.
But just in case we forgot this was a rock show, they launched into their most famous song: “Are You Gonna Be My Girl.” Back in 2006, this song was everywhere: radio, MP3 players, TV. The crowd responded accordingly.
Before heading offstage, they closed the main set with the explosive “Cold Hard Bitch,” another fan favourite that had the entire room shouting every word alongside Cester. After a short break, he returned alone to address the crowd.
He thanked everyone for spending the night with them after two decades away from Montreal. “We owe it all to you. Thank you. We love you,” he said, before performing a gorgeous acoustic version of “Shine On.”
He followed with a more bluesy acoustic number, “Move On,” also from Get Born. Midway through, the band rejoined him, adding texture as Cameron Muncey layered in electric guitar flourishes and Mark Wilson played the harmonica.
Finally, to cap off the night, they gave us one last song, a cover of AC/DC’s “It’s a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock ’n’ Roll).” It was the perfect send-off for a set that had been 20 years in the making.
It was truly special to witness one of the great rock bands of the early 2000s, from the same era when The White Stripes, The Vines, and The Hives ruled the indie rock world. Jet had been a “bucket list band” for me, one I never thought I’d get to cross off.
Here’s to not waiting another 20 years to see them again.
Check out our favourite photos of the night below or head to our Facebook page for the full gallery!
JET
BAND OF SKULLS
All Photo Credit: Andres Amaya
Concerts Reviews
LIVE REVIEW: aespa Close North American Tour With a Futuristic Spectacle in Vancouver
My K-pop education continued on October 11 as aespa brought their SYNK : COMPLæXITY Tour to Rogers Arena in Vancouver. After seeing TWICE in January and IVE in August, this was my third concert foray into K-pop. I was excited to see how aespa would compare, and the answer was a little different from my first two experiences. Where TWICE brought the fun and IVE delivered its own polished pop spectacle, aespa leaned into futuristic visuals, heavy electronic production and choreography that rarely let up.
With no opening act, the stage belonged entirely to Karina, Winter, Giselle and Ningning. Vancouver marked the final stop of the North American leg before the group heads to Europe in January, making this the last chance for fans on this side of the Atlantic to see the production for a while.
There had been some concern about Giselle’s participation after she left the stage five songs into the group’s October 9 show at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle. Thankfully, she was back in Vancouver. Both she and Winter mentioned having a cold, but you wouldn’t have known it from their performances. Neither appeared to let it get in the way, and both delivered strong performances throughout the night.
The show opened with “LEMONADE,” immediately filling Rogers Arena with heavy bass, electronic beats and futuristic visuals. The production was massive, but the sound mix occasionally worked against the group. At points, the bass threatened to overpower the vocals, which was frustrating when four singers this capable were onstage.
“Switchblade” and “Whiplash” kept the momentum going before aespa reached back to its 2020 debut single, “Black Mamba.” The choreography remained sharp, and the group’s ability to move between demanding routines and vocal passages without losing its composure was impressive. “WDA (Whole Different Animal)” brought a harder hip-hop edge, with Giselle’s rap standing out against the heavy production.
The concert was divided into five acts, with cinematic video segments building on the group’s fictional universe. The story occasionally felt like a lot to keep up with, particularly for someone who hasn’t followed every chapter of aespa‘s mythology. Still, the visuals gave the show a clear identity. The production had a narrative thread running through it.
The second act offered a welcome change of pace. Karina introduced “Count on Me” on a piano, leading into a softer arrangement that let the members’ voices take centre stage. “Camouflage” and “Angel #48” continued the dreamier stretch. These moments were a reminder that aespa doesn’t need a wall of bass and flashing screens to hold an audience’s attention.
The solo and duet stages were among my favourite parts of the night. Giselle and Ningning brought a relaxed feel to “Lollipop,” while Karina and Winter took a more energetic approach with “Serenade.” Each pairing had its own character, making the performances feel distinct rather than like variations on the same routine.
The four solo performances gave the members even more room to show what they could do. Ningning’s “I Love You But I Gotta Let You Go” built from restrained verses into soaring high notes, while Karina’s “16 Bit” relied on a more understated, moody delivery. Giselle showed a softer side on “BYEB4HELLO,” moving beyond her usual rap role, and Winter’s “Saddle Up” put her choreography and stage confidence front and centre.
These performances made a strong case for the individual personalities within aespa. The group’s sleek, coordinated image is part of its appeal, but seeing the members step outside that format made the concert more interesting.
The heavier material returned with “Armageddon” and “Bite,” followed by a run of choreography-driven performances including “Next Level,” “SHAKIN’” and “Supernova.” The dancers added scale to the show, and the synchronized routines looked particularly effective against the digital scenery. By this point, the production had made its point: aespa knows how to turn its music into a full arena experience.
The pre-encore dance challenge was a fun change of pace, with cameras scanning the crowd and giving fans a chance to show off their moves on the big screens. The segment ended with an (shy) audience singalong to “Roll” before aespa returned for “Yeppi Yeppi” and “’Til We Die.”
As someone still getting to know K-pop, I appreciated the range. The spectacle was impressive, but the quieter songs and individual stages stopped the night from becoming one long sensory overload. The sound mix could have been better, and some of the storyline went over my head, but those were minor complaints in a show packed with strong performances.
TWICE got me curious about K-pop, and IVE gave me another reason to keep exploring it. aespa made a convincing case for sticking around. Their Vancouver show was loud, visually striking and full of personality, with four performers who could hold Rogers Arena’s attention even when the production threatened to steal it. That’s a solid way to close out a North American tour.
Upcoming Aespa – SYNK : COMPLæXITY’ World Tour Dates:
01/14 – Manchester, United Kingdom @ AO Arena
01/16 – London, United Kingdom @ The O2
01/19 – Amsterdam, Netherlands @ Ziggo Dome
01/22 – Stockholm, Sweden @ Avicii Arena
01/24 – Copenhagen, Denmark @ Royal Arena
01/26 – Berlin, Germany @ Uber Arena
01/29 – Milan, Italy @ Unipol Dome
01/31 – Barcelona, Spain @ Palau Sant Jordi
02/02 – Paris, France @ Accor Arena
More information here.
Concerts Reviews
LØLØ Brings her ‘God Forbid a Girl Goes on Tour’ to the Pearl in Vancouver
LØLØ brought her second headlining tour – aptly named “God Forbid a Girl Goes on Tour” – to Vancouver this week, a first for the Canada-born artist. We’ve been a fan since we first heard “Death Wish” back in 2021, which seems like it was yesterday, and we aren’t going to overthink that right now. That being said, we’ve been waiting a long time for this night, and what a show!
We’ve been frequenting The Pearl more and more lately, and like so many others this show was sold out and packed wall-to-wall. There was a small mob for the first opener of the night, Dawson Gamble, and the floor was packed by the time Con the Artist took the stage. When LØLØ appeared, it was all plaid miniskirts and devil horns from the stage to the merch booth.
When the lights went down, LØLØ’s voice boomed over the speakers, narrating excerpts from a journal. LØLØ is not a choreographed, over-polished pop princess. Like so many artists that grew their audience from nothing, she does her best to connect with individuals in the audience. She takes her time, holds their hands, and during one memorable song, brings them on stage to dance.
“I think that people don’t want perfection,” she told Rolling Stone earlier this year. “They just want to see a live show and a special moment.”
LØLØ was very upfront about her adventures online, finding her voice, and time spent during COVID, and from the vibe you have to assume the audience had been there with her the entire time. From “The Floor is Lava” to “Faceplant,” all the hits were covered and sung along to. Speaking of which…
Must Hear Songs by LØLØ (In Our Humble Opinion):
• “death wish” (Single, 2021)
• “Hot Girls in Hell” (falling for robots, 2023)
• “u turn me on (but you give me depression)” (falling for robots, 2023)
• “Let It Go” (A Whole New Sound (Disney), 2024)
Fun fact: LØLØ was featured on a 2024 Disney punk album alongside Simple Plan, Magnolia Park, and Yellow Card, to name a few iconic bands. Check out her version of “Let It Go” from “Frozen.” It’s unexpected and a lot of fun.
LØLØ ‘s first moment of viral fame was her cover of “Hey There Delilah,” updated and sung from Delilah’s perspective. Pulling Con the Artist back on stage for a duet gave the crowd a wonderful, heartfelt moment that was honestly quite touching. Not everyone’s favorite song, but a lovely moment for everyone in the audience.
LØLØ, with several incredible songs in her library and with a stack of “Warped Tour” appearances already in the books, seems poised to breakthrough to the next level. She’s electric on stage, and animated, and we can only dream of the day she is given more space to play. Until then, another highlight concert of 2026, and something to think about until her next visit!
LØLØ Setlist:
• the devil wears converse
• pretty little wreck
• god forbid a girl spits out her feelings!
• THE FLOOR IS LAVA!
• debbie downer
• me with no shirt on
• the punisher
• 2 of us
• u turn me on (but u give me depression)
• faceplant
• Hey There Delilah
• death wish
• delusional darling
• junkie
• DON’T!
• dumbest girl in the world
• wish i was a robot
• hot girls in hell
Check out our favourite photos of the night below or head to our Facebook page for the full gallery. Thanks for attending the show with us and for checking out our review!
LØLØ
All Photo Credit: Jason Martin