Concerts Reviews
TWICE Kick Off the North American Leg of their THIS IS FOR World Tour With Two Hours of Joy in Vancouver
TWICE have spent the last decade growing from a bubbly K-pop rookie group into one of the most reliable live pop acts on the planet. Formed in 2015 through JYP Entertainment’s show Sixteen, the nine-member group (Nayeon, Jeongyeon, Momo, Sana, Jihyo, Mina, Dahyun, Chaeyoung, and Tzuyu) built their reputation on sharp choreography, sticky hooks, and a rare sense of longevity in an industry that moves fast. Their <THIS IS FOR> World Tour marks another big step, as their 10th Anniversary tour. Vancouver got the honour of opening the North American leg, with night one landing at Rogers Arena on January 9.
This show carried weight: it’s the first night of a new leg, first of two sold-out Vancouver dates, first time TWICE ever performed here. Or so they kept saying (more on that later).
Before the doors even opened, the sense of community hit hard. This was my first K-pop concert, and the concourse felt almost like a fan convention. ONCE (as TWICE fans are called) showed up early and prepared. Freebies were everywhere: fake Canadian bills printed with member faces, bracelets, banners, fake concert tickets as keepsakes. People traded gifts with strangers like it was normal, and it ruled. It reminded me of the exchange of bracelets at Taylor Swift’s shows.
Outfits ranged from full music video cosplay to subtle nods. Candy Bongs (TWICE’s lightstick) lit up the building in every direction. Someone even brought a giant inflatable Candy Bong that eventually made it onstage. Jihyo got her hands on it during “Scientist” and used it to whack her own members. No notes.
The lights dropped just after 8 p.m. “FOUR” played in the dark while Candy Bongs glowed across the arena. A massive 360-degree stage sat in the middle, with towering LED screens hanging above. The scale felt serious. TWICE rose into view and launched straight into “THIS IS FOR.” The scream from the crowd swallowed the mix.
Act I leaned heavy on confidence. “Strategy,” “MAKE ME GO,” “SET ME FREE,” and “I CAN’T STOP ME” landed clean and tight as this group moves with muscle memory built over ten years. The ments showed real excitement and a touch of nervousness. Kudos to the translator who helped both members and fans understanding each other as most members spoke mainly in Korean.
Act II raised the emotional stakes. “MARS” and “I GOT YOU” hit with warm vocals. “Gone” stood out for me, especially with the arrangement with the live band. Jihyo and Nayeon owned it. “CRY FOR ME” and “HELL IN HEAVEN” kept the intensity high. “RIGHT HAND GIRL” pulled huge cheers, proof that deep cuts still matter.
Then came the solos. This section turned the show into a full showcase. Tzuyu opened with “DIVE IN,” graceful and controlled. Mina followed with “STONE COLD.” Nayeon brought pop chaos with “MEEEEEE.” Jeongyeon surprised with “FIX A DRINK,” leaning into a country edge that somehow worked. The pink, glittery cowboy outfit was perfect for it. Dahyun played piano during “CHESS” and owned the room. Chaeyoung returned to the stage with “SHOOT (Firecracker),” and the welcome back energy was real. She had missed several dates earlier in the 1st leg of the tour, and you could feel the relief from then fans as the group back to OT9. Jihyo’s “ATM” confirmed what I already suspected. She has unreal stage presence and total command of the crowd. Sana softened the mood with “DECAFFEINATED.” Momo closed the solo run with “MOVE LIKE THAT,” pure movement and confidence.
Then it was time for the “TAKEDOWN” curveball. Jeongyeon, Jihyo, and Chaeyoung debuted it live on this tour, pulled from the Netflix hit K-Pop Demon Hunters. The arena lost its mind. I knew and loved the song going in, but I did not expect that reaction. The honmoon was clearly sealed after that performance.
Act IV was wall-to-wall hits. “FANCY,” “What Is Love?,” “YES or YES,” and “Dance the Night Away” turned the arena into a giant singalong. The fan dance cam kicked in before the encore and ONCE showed up prepared with sharp choreography.
The encore opened with “SCIENTIST,” another tour debut. Before the final song, the members talked again about Vancouver. Nine years ago, they filmed the “Likey” music video in Vancouver. That explained why they ended the show “LIKEY,” an unusual closer that was direct nod to the city. The crowd loved it and screamed the lyrics back at the members.
I walked in knowing only a handful of songs and very little about the members, and I walked out with a bias (Jihyo earned that spot without debate) and a smile on my face. More than that, I left understanding why TWICE have lasted this long. Here’s to ten more years!
Upcoming THIS IS FOR Tour Dates:
1/10 – Rogers Arena – Vancouver, BC
1/13 – Climate Pledge Arena – Seattle, WA
1/14 – Climate Pledge Arena – Seattle, WA
1/17 – Oakland Arena – Oakland, CA
1/18 – Oakland Arena – Oakland, CA
1/21 – Kia Forum – Los Angeles, CA
1/22 – Kia Forum – Los Angeles, CA
1/24 – Kia Forum – Los Angeles, CA
1/25 – Kia Forum – Los Angeles, CA
1/28 – PHX Arena – Phoenix, AZ
1/31 – American Airlines Center – Dallas, TX
2/01 – American Airlines Center – Dallas, TX
2/13 – Capital One Arena – Washington, DC
2/14 – Capital One Arena – Washington, DC
2/18 – UBS Arena – Belmont Park, NY
2/20 – UBS Arena – Belmont Park, NY
2/21 – UBS Arena – Belmont Park, NY
2/24 – Xfinity Mobile Arena – Philadelphia, PA
2/27 – State Farm Arena – Atlanta, GA
3/03 – Bell Centre – Montreal, QC
3/06 – TD Coliseum – Hamilton, ON
3/07 – TD Coliseum – Hamilton, ON
3/27 – Kia Center – Orlando, FL
3/28 – Kia Center – Orlando, FL*
3/31 – Spectrum Center – Charlotte, NC
4/03 – TD Garden – Boston, MA
4/04 – TD Garden – Boston, MA
4/06 – United Center – Chicago, IL
4/07 – United Center – Chicago, IL
4/10 – Little Caesars Arena – Detroit, MI
4/12 – Grand Casino Arena – Saint Paul, MN
4/14 – Ball Arena – Denver, CO
4/17 – Moody Center – Austin, TX
4/18 – Moody Center – Austin, TX
5/09 – MEO Arena – Lisbon, PT
5/12 – Palau Sant Jordi – Barcelona, ES
5/16 – Accor Arena – Paris, FR
5/17 – Accor Arena – Paris, FR
5/20 – Inalpi Arena – Turin, IT
5/23 – Uber Arena – Berlin, DE
5/26 – LANXESS Arena – Cologne, DE
5/30 – Ziggo Dome – Amsterdam, NL
5/31 – Ziggo Dome – Amsterdam, NL
6/03 – The O2 – London, UK
6/04 – The O2 – London, UK
More information on the tour here.
Concerts Reviews
LIVE REVIEW: Bleachers Bring Big Energy to a Long-Awaited Montreal Return
On June 10th, 2026, fans packed into MTELUS for the Montreal stop of Bleachers’ Bleachers Forever tour. This is the second time the band has had in Montreal, the first being at Osheaga Music and Arts Festival back in 2022, which is the perfect place to build a Montreal fanbase.
Momo Boyd, a New York City based vocalist and songwriter, had no problem setting the tone for the night. With songs like “Cold Hands,” “Strong,” and even a cover of “Dreams” by Fleetwood Mac, her set was filled with enchanting purple lights, beautifully deep lyrics, and captivating vocals. Although her performance was more “low-key” than a typical Bleachers performance, it had its moments of picking up, and was the perfect way to ease the crowd into the night, and left many audience members as a new fan.
As Bleachers took the stage, opening their set with “My Way,” there was no doubt that this would be a night to remember. The band, consisting of lead singer Jack Antonoff, Mikey Freedom Hart, Zem Audu, Mike Riddleberger, Evan Smith and Sean Hutchinson came out to the wonderful sound of saxophone played by band member Zem Audu, and though the first half of the song was slower, the energy built up shortly after through flashing lights, jumps and a roaring crowd.
The audience erupted in cheers and laughter as lead singer, Jack Antonoff spoke out about artists always skipping Montreal during their tours, saying: “They think they can play Osheaga and that’s enough?”, and “What’s with (bands) that think they can play Osheaga, which is like an expensive ticket, and not just come play a normal show.” As me, and many others in that room have traveled to Toronto to see our favourite artists when they skip Montreal on tour, I completely agree with this!
The night continued with back-to-back hits, including “you and forever,” “Merry Christmas, Please Don’t Call,” and of course, “I Wanna Get Better,” and closing the set with “Stop Making This Hurt.” They even played a cover of Margaret by Lana Del Ray, which they’re featured on!
Bleachers set an incredible standard of engaging a crowd and keeping a consistently high-energy audience. From the first note, to the emotional highs and lows, to the closing goodbyes, fans were cheering, singing and dancing the whole time! They even had a photobooth in the venue where you could take pictures before the show! This is certainly a band that will be in people’s rotation for years to come, so the tour name speaks for itself when it says, Bleachers Forever!
Check out our favourite photos of the night below or head to our Facebook page for the full gallery!
BLEACHERS
MOMO BOYD
All Photo Credit: Ashley Bellam
Concerts Reviews
LIVE REVIEW: Alex Warren Finds Family on the Road at Rogers Arena
One year ago, Alex Warren was playing Vancouver’s Vogue Theatre. On Sunday night, he walked onto the stage at Rogers Arena in front of nearly 20,000 people for the Vancouver stop of his Finding Family on the Road Tour.
That kind of jump can expose an artist’s weaknesses. Plenty of performers who thrive in clubs and theatres struggle once the rooms get bigger and the production gets larger. Their personalities get lost somewhere between the video screens and the confetti cannons, yet Warren never came close to that problem.
Before he appeared, opening act Nat & Alex Wolff warmed up the crowd with a short but engaging set. The New York brothers leaned into their easy chemistry, mixing indie-pop hooks with plenty of crowd interaction. Still, the anticipation in the arena was unmistakably for Warren.
The show opened with touching home videos from his childhood projected across the giant screens. It felt like both sentimental and a mission statement. Family, both the one Warren lost and the one he has built around himself, remains at the centre of everything he does.
He wasted little time launching into “Troubled Waters,” immediately sending excitement through the arena. From there, he rolled through early highlights including “Bloodline,” “The Outside,” and “First Time on Earth.”
What stood out wasn’t the production, though there was plenty of it. It was Warren‘s command of the room. For someone whose rise began on social media, Warren understands live performance remarkably well. He knows when to joke, when to tell a story, and when to step aside and let the audience take over. Throughout the night he read signs, spoke directly to fans, and delivered the kind of spontaneous interactions that can’t be programmed into a production schedule.
The audience responded to every moment. Many were young fans who have followed his life for years, and the relationship between artist and crowd felt unusually personal for a venue this size.
Vocally, Warren continues to silence anyone who still sees him primarily as a former content creator. Songs like “The Outside” and “Eternity” showcased the power and clarity in his voice, particularly when he pushed into his upper register. During “Eternity,” a massive sing-along broke out across Rogers Arena, with nearly every section joining in.
The emotional core of the evening arrived during the B-stage portion of the set. To get there, Warren left the main stage and made his way through the crowd, high-fiving fans, stopping for selfies, and turning the walk into an event of its own.
After reaching the smaller stage in the middle of the floor, Warren stripped away much of the arena spectacle and focused on the stories behind the songs. Before performing the unreleased “Same Stars,” he asked fans to put their phones away and experience the moment with him rather than recording it. He then spoke about losing both of his parents and the loneliness that often comes with grief. He reminded the audience that people die twice: once when they pass away and again when their stories stop being told. You could hear a pin drop as phone lights illuminated the arena.
It’s a difficult balance. Warren‘s music often deals with grief, loss, and healing, and there are moments where the emotional weight borders on overwhelming. At times, the show asks a lot from its audience, who ended up in tears several times. Yet those moments never felt manipulative. They felt genuine, even when they were uncomfortable.
“Fine Place To Die” was one of the strongest moments of the night. Sitting alone at the piano, Warren delivered the song acoustically after explaining that everything heard throughout the show was being performed live by him and his musicians. Before starting, he joked, “If I fuck up, post it on TikTok,” earning one of the night’s biggest laughs. Alongside “Heaven Without You,” the stripped-back performance highlighted Warren‘s songwriting and emotional delivery.
The final run of songs shifted the mood back toward celebration. During “Getaway Car,” Warren took a moment to introduce each member of his band, giving the musicians their own chance to shine before launching back into the set. “You Can’t Stop This” and “Burning Down” brought fresh energy into the arena before “FEVER DREAM” exploded into one of the night’s biggest singalongs, complete with confetti cannons and enough excitement to shake the building.
The final run of songs shifted the mood back toward celebration. “Getaway Car,” “You Can’t Stop This,” and “Burning Down” brought fresh energy into the arena before “FEVER DREAM” exploded into one of the night’s biggest singalongs, complete with confetti cannons and enough excitement to shake the building.
Warren explained that the confetti button is normally pushed by his wife, Kouvr, but since she wasn’t in Vancouver, the honour went to fellow musician Cameron Whitcomb, who had just finished performing at the FIFA Fan Festival earlier that day. Whitcomb’s excitement was impossible to miss as confetti filled the arena.
With the encore came the moment everyone had been waiting for. As the opening notes of “Ordinary” rang out, Rogers Arena erupted. The Billboard-topping hit has become Warren‘s defining song, and hearing nearly every person in the building scream the lyrics back at him was one of those rare concert moments where the scale of an artist’s rise becomes impossible to ignore.
A year ago, Alex Warren was proving he belonged in theatres. On Sunday night, he proved he belongs in arenas. More impressively, he managed to make Rogers Arena feel a lot smaller than it actually is.
After the final notes faded, Warren returned to the B-stage one last time to take a bow. Beside him was a young girl who had earlier asked to push the confetti button herself. He gave her something even better. It was a small gesture, but it perfectly captured the spirit of the night: a massive arena show that never lost sight of the people in the room.
Upcoming Tour Dates:
Wednesday, June 17 – Salt Lake City, UT – Utah First Credit Union Amphitheatre
Friday, June 19 – Omaha, NE – CHI Health Center
Sunday, June 21 – Kansas City, MO – T-Mobile Center
Tuesday, June 23 – Pittsburgh, PA – PPG Paints Arena
Thursday, June 25 – Atlanta GA – State Farm Arena
Friday, June 26 – Charlotte, NC – Spectrum Center
Saturday, June 27 – Cleveland, OH – Rocket Arena
Monday, June 29 – Chicago, IL – United Center
Thursday, July 2 – Minneapolis, MN – Grand Casino Arena
Friday, July 3 – Milwaukee, WI – Summerfest – American Family Insurance Amphitheater
Sunday, July 5 – Detroit, MI – Little Caesars Arena
Tuesday, July 7 – Toronto, ON – RBC Amphitheatre
Wednesday, July 8 – Montreal, QC – Bell Centre
Friday, July 10 – Philadelphia, PA – Xfinity Mobile Arena
Saturday, July 11 – Columbia, MD – Merriweather Post Pavillion
Monday, July 13 – Boston, MA – TD Garden
Wednesday, July 15 – New York, NY – Madison Square Garden
Find out more information about the tour here.