Concerts Reviews
The Beaches Bring Arena-Sized Energy Home to Vancouver With No Hard Feelings Tour
The Beaches made one thing clear at the Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre on October 25: they’re not the next big thing, they are the big thing. The Toronto quartet, fresh off the U.S. leg of their No Hard Feelings tour, brought their first Canadian arena run to a sellout crowd in Vancouver, and they looked right at home under the bright lights.
Toronto band Valley kicked things off earlier in the night, and their set was the perfect warm-up. With their polished alt-pop sound and easy chemistry, they had the crowd swaying and singing long before The Beaches took the stage. Songs like “Like 1999” and MGMT cover “Kids” turned the arena into one big singalong. Frontman Rob Laska’s charm and sincerity carried through every song, while Karah James’ harmonies and percussion gave their sound extra punch. By the end of their set, Valley had the crowd fully on their side.
The Beaches opened with “Last Girls at the Party,” a punchy, synth-rock anthem that set the tone for the night: cheeky and full of energy. It rolled right into “Touch Myself,” which they playfully dedicated “to all the lovers of self-pleasure.” From there, the set moved between shimmering pop-rock and gritty guitar riffs, the band’s mix of polish and personality shining through every track.
Jordan Miller’s grin said it all. “We’re so fucking happy to be here!” she yelled, beaming. She reminded the crowd that the band has sold out every headlining Vancouver show they’ve ever played. This night felt like a well-earned victory lap.
Early in the night, Jordan invited a fan on stage for “Did I Say Too Much,” which they dedicated, with a laugh, to Don Cherry. Later, the mood turned a little more sentimental when the band dedicated “Lesbian of the Year” to Tegan and Sara, giving a heartfelt “TED Talk” about how the queer community has supported them. It was a rare quiet moment in a night that otherwise pulsed with electric energy, and it hit home. Jordan and guitarist Leandra Earl joked that “Edge of the Earth” kept with the “lesbian theme,” laughing as they kicked into the moody slow-burner.
That sense of honesty, mixed with humour and chaos, has always been their secret weapon. “Shower Beer” was hilariously dedicated “to everyone who’s ever got a bit too drunk,” and by the time they hit “Fine, Let’s Get Married,” the crowd was screaming every lyric back like a shared inside joke.
But the biggest cheer came before “T-Shirt,” when Jordan took a moment to reflect. “We’ve been touring the U.S. for so long, it feels so fucking good to be home,” she said. “To celebrate our first arena tour and 15 years as a band, we’re gonna do something special and play some older stuff.” The throwback stretch of “Fascination,” “Blow Up,” and “Give It Up” felt like a love letter to their day-one fans.
The final stretch of the main set was all hits: “Lame,” “Money,” “Jocelyn,” “Takes One to Know One,” and of course, “Blame Brett,” the viral breakup anthem that turned them from local heroes into national stars. Thousands shouted “Blame my ex!” in unison, a cathartic roar that shook the rafters.
After a short break, they returned for an encore of “I Wore You Better,” “Sorry for Your Loss,” and a reprise of “Last Girls at the Party.” Confetti filled the air and the band beamed as if they couldn’t quite believe how far they’ve come.
Fifteen years in, The Beaches sound tighter, louder, and more self-assured than ever. They’ve built their empire brick by brick, tour by tour, song by song, and Vancouver gave them the reception they’ve long deserved.
At this point, calling them “one of Canada’s top rock acts” feels like an understatement. The Beaches have officially graduated from festival slots and club gigs to arena headliners, and they did it their way, with humour and heart.
Check out our favourite photos of the night below or head to our Facebook page for the full gallery!
Upcoming Tour dates:
10/27 Edmonton, AB – Edmonton Expo Centre
10/29 Calgary, AB – Grey Eagle Resort & Casino
10/30 Calgary, AB – Grey Eagle Resort & Casino
11/01 Winnipeg, MB – Burton Cummings Theatre
11/02 Winnipeg, MB – Burton Cummings Theatre
11/05 Ottawa, ON – The Arena at TD Place
11/06 Toronto, ON – Scotiabank Arena
11/09 London, ON – Centennial Hall
11/10 London, ON – Centennial Hall
11/13 Halifax, NS – Scotiabank Centre
11/15 Moncton, NB – Casino New Brunswick
More information here.
THE BEACHES
VALLEY
All Photo Credit: Caroline Charruyer
Concerts Reviews
LIVE REVIEW: AC/DC – Hell’s Still Bellin’
AC/DC. Christ. What’s left to say? Everything’s been said, screamed, tattooed on someone’s bicep already. Doesn’t matter. That’s the whole racket, they never changed, never blinked, and more than fifty years later they’re still the loudest gang in the room.
Growing up, they felt ancient already. I am a 2001 kid. Turns out the joke’s on me: they’re still out there, riffing like it’s ’79, refusing to retire into legend status.
Princess Auto Stadium was packed with about 35000 attendees. Everyone was wearing red twinkling devil’s horns. To warm up the night, The Pretty Reckless started with one of the hits “Death by Rock and Roll.” Some support acts play like they’re grateful for the slot. Taylor Momsen played like she owns the stadium. The hair falling forward, somehow the less you can see of her face the more magnetic she gets. Stage presence isn’t something you learn. She’s just got it.
The band didn’t sound like an opener. Every riff landed with the swagger “Going To Hell” and “Since You’re Gone” kept it burning, and “About You” brought it down to something rawer before the lights cut. By the time The Pretty Reckless walked off, the audience were already screaming AC/DC! AC/DC!
Winnipeggers stood stunned through AC/DC‘s whole set. Angus Young, 71 years old still in that signature blue schoolboy uniform and yellow-and-blue cap, ran wild across the stage, duck-walking like no time had passed at all, genuinely, a dream come true to watch in person.
Meanwhile, the rest of the band, rhythm guitarist Stevie Young, bassist Chris Chaney and drummer Matt Laug stayed largely in the background, keeping the engine running for Angus and Johnson to tear apart.
The production matched the legend, “Hells Bells” arrived with an actual giant bell hanging over the stage. The setlist ran deep: “Thunderstruck,” “Have a Drink on Me,” “Shot in the Dark,” “Stiff Upper Lip,” “Highway to Hell,” “Jailbreak,” “Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap.” Almost every song sounded just as good as the album version. The crowd tore their vocal cords apart singing along to “You Shook Me All Night Long” and “TNT.” “For Those About to Rock (We Salute You)” closed things out with cannons blasting into the night sky.
The house lights came up and nobody moved right away. Smoke still hanging over the stage, ears ringing, horns still lit up red across the stands. Bands this old aren’t supposed to sound this dangerous. They aren’t supposed to still mean it. But AC/DC never got the memo about slowing down, and honestly, thank God for that. I walked out hoarse, deaf, and completely satisfied.
Check out our favourite photos of the night below or head to our Facebook page for the full gallery!
AC/DC
THE PRETTY RECKLESS
All Photo Credit: Nischal Karki
Concerts Reviews
LIVE REVIEW: Party On, Vancouver: Dogstar Sells Out the Vogue Theatre
The Vogue Theatre was packed wall to wall on September 16 as Dogstar rolled into Vancouver, and the excitement was impossible to miss. New York rock band The Backfires kicked things off with a lively opening set, warming up the room before Bret Domrose, Robert Mailhouse and Keanu Reeves stepped onto the stage. Naturally, hundreds of phones immediately went up when Reeves appeared, because Vancouver was not about to let this extremely Keanu moment go undocumented.
Reeves held down the bass, Domrose took on guitar and vocals, and Mailhouse powered the night from behind the drums. While one member may come with a little more star power, Dogstar quickly felt like a proper three-piece instead of a celebrity side project. The chemistry between them was relaxed and natural, with plenty of smiles, glances and little interactions that made it clear they were genuinely happy to be playing together. Reeves frequently wandered across the stage to jam alongside his bandmates, occasionally making his way toward the front and sending another wave of phones into the air.
Dogstar’s story stretches back to Los Angeles in 1991, when Reeves and Mailhouse first started making music together. Domrose later joined the band, and the trio released two albums before going their separate ways in 2002. More than two decades later, they reunited, returned to the stage and released Somewhere Between the Power Lines and Palm Trees in 2023. Now, with their latest album All In Now and another tour underway, Dogstar are giving this chapter of the band far more than a quick nostalgia lap.
The set began with “Siren,” immediately setting an easygoing alt-rock tone for the night. Their cover of The Replacements’ “Can’t Hardly Wait” brought an extra burst of familiarity, while “Punch the Sky” landed with the kind of energy made for a full theatre. Rather than pausing for long speeches, the band kept things moving, letting the music and their chemistry do most of the talking. Domrose’s vocals stayed at the centre of the songs, Mailhouse gave them plenty of drive, and Reeves appeared completely locked into the groove on bass.
Yes, people cheered whenever Reeves moved closer to the edge of the stage. Yes, there was an undeniable thrill in seeing the internet’s favourite human casually rocking out a few feet away. But the attention did not stay on him alone. Domrose and Mailhouse were just as essential to the show, and together the trio delivered a performance that felt tight without becoming overly polished. There was still room for the songs to breathe, for the band to play off one another and for the night to feel a little spontaneous.
A fun surprise arrived during the encore with a roaring cover of The Beatles’ “Helter Skelter.” The band shared that they had only performed it live once before, making it a particularly unexpected way to close the night. The Vogue responded accordingly, singing, cheering and soaking up every last second before the trio left the stage.
More than 30 years after forming, and over two decades after calling it quits, Dogstar are back on the road and clearly having a great time together. That sense of fun was infectious, turning the sold-out show into something warmer and more memorable than a simple celebrity sighting. Vancouver may have arrived ready to see Keanu Reeves play bass, but by the end of the night, Dogstar had given the crowd plenty of reasons to stay invested in the whole band.
Check out our favourite photos of the night below or head to our Facebook page for the full gallery!
DOGSTAR
THE BACKFIRES
All Photo Credit: Heather Horncastle