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
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
Concerts Reviews
LIVE REVIEW: Bring Me the Horizon Lights Up Ottawa
Canadian Tire Centre, Ottawa, October 2 2026
Three bands, three very different flavours of heavy, and not a dull stretch in the night. From the opening notes of the first set to the last drop of confetti, this was a show that gave fans their money’s worth.
The Plot in You
The Plot in You had the job of waking up the room, and they did it by leaning on their biggest strength: the vocalist, Landon Tewers. He has a remarkable range, and what stood out most was how smoothly he moved between two completely different modes. One moment he was unleashing deep, guttural screams that hit like a wall of sound. The next he dropped into soft, melodic passages.
That contrast gave the set its shape. Instead of staying at full volume the whole time, the band let the quiet moments breathe, which made the heavy parts land harder. It was an impressive showing from an opener, and a good reminder that this is a band with real dynamic range.
Motionless in White
Motionless in White brought a different energy: dark, theatrical, and confident. With such an extensive discography, they had plenty of material to choose from, and the set felt like a well-curated tour through their career. Longtime fans had something to sing along to, and newcomers got a clear picture of what the band is about.
The look matched the sound too with the bassist and guitarist wearing creepy makeup and masks, which gave the stage a horror-movie atmosphere. It added to the show without ever pulling focus from the music, and it made them fun to watch even from the back of the room.
Bring Me the Horizon
Then it was time for one of the biggest rock acts in the world: Bring Me the Horizon. From the start, frontman Oli Sykes controlled the room. He wasn’t just performing at the crowd; he was directing it. He demanded circle pits and crowd surfing, and the floor responded. Pits opened up, bodies went over the barricade, and the whole arena never sat still.
The production was enormous. Fire, smoke, confetti, fireworks, and lasers were all deployed throughout the night, and none of it felt like a gimmick. Each effect was timed to hit at the right moment, amplifying the biggest drops and choruses. The backdrops and visuals were just as impressive, giving the stage a cinematic, almost apocalyptic feel that changed with the mood of each song.
One of the most striking moments came during “Shadow Moses,” when Oli brought out a flare. With the red glow cutting through the smoke and the crowd roaring the song back at him, it was one of those images that sticks in your memory long after the lights come up.
A young man was brought on stage to sing “Pray for Plagues,” a tradition the band has kept up at every show on this tour. After the fire, noise, and spectacle, it reminded everyone that this massive production still has room for a fan to share the spotlight.
Through all of it, the pacing was excellent. From their well known hit “Can You Feel My Heart” to their more recent “Darkside, the band balanced intense, high-energy stretches with moments that let the crowd catch its breath, and Oli kept the connection with the audience alive the whole way through.
This was a complete night of heavy music: a strong opener with a standout vocalist, a theatrical and razor-sharp middle act, and a headliner that treated the show like a full-scale production without losing the raw energy at its core. Loud, spectacular, and a whole lot of fun.
Head here for information on the rest of the tour.
Check out our favourite photos of the night below or head to our Facebook page for the full gallery!
BRING ME THE HORIZON
MOTIONLESS IN WHITE
THE PLOT IN YOU
All Photo Credit: Kieran Delport