Concerts Photos
Elevate Music Project 2026 Semi-Finals
Elevate Music Project made its return to Vancouver with a stacked semi-finals night at the Biltmore Cabaret. Six acts, six very different sounds, and a room full of people ready to back local music on a cold January night.
The lineup moved briskly, starting with Carmine. The Victoria-based, female-fronted alt-rock band sounded tight and confident, leaning into sharp hooks and emotional swings. Their songs hit that sweet spot between grit and melody, and the crowd locked in fast. Knowing this band formed almost immediately after a breakup makes their chemistry even more impressive.
Tasavoor followed and flipped the vibe completely. The three-piece blended western textures, funk rhythms, blues grit, and eastern melodies into long, winding songs that felt loose in the best way. They shared that they refuse to play songs the same way twice, and gave their set an unpredictable edge.
The Canyon Riders brought the night back to roots-driven rock. Their sound leaned hard into blues and country rock, powered by a driving rhythm section and duelling guitars that nodded to Southern rock traditions. The band played like they’d been road-tested, and the crowd responded to that honest, no-frills energy.
Snowchild Edge was one of the night’s most magnetic performers. Blending alt-hip hop, R&B, and Afro-fusion, he owned the room with ease. Mid-set, he jumped into the crowd to hype people up, breaking any remaining barrier between stage and floor. His songs carried weight, touching on identity and connection. It was definitely a set that made you stop talking and just watch.
Then came Dani Black, who made it very clear why her name carries so much buzz. Her songwriting stood out immediately, sharp and emotional, delivered with a voice that cut straight through the room. She sang like someone who’s been through it and came back stronger. There was a calm confidence to her presence that felt effortless, the kind you expect from a pop artist with serious range. The audience listened closely, and the applause said it all. We can’t wait to see what she does next!
Closing the night was Summer’s Brother, who leaned fully into art-rock theatrics. With fuzzy guitars, synths, and bold visuals, their set felt like a late-night art show wrapped in indie pop and psych-rock. They weren’t afraid to get weird, and that commitment paid off. The band’s chemistry was tight, and their genre-blurring approach gave the night a fittingly unpredictable ending.
Elevate Music Project has always been about giving Vancouver artists real opportunities, and this semi-finals night proved why the format works. If this is the level heading into the finals, the competition is wide open, and Vancouver music fans are the real winners.
The Finals will be held at the Vogue Theatre on January 22, 2026. Get your tickets here.
Check out our favourite photos of the night below or head to our Facebook page for the full gallery!
CARMINE
TASAVOOR
CANYON RIDERS
SNOWCHILD EDGE
DANI BLACK
SUMMER’S BROTHER
All Photo Credit: Caroline Charruyer
Concerts Photos
Joost Klein Brings World Tour With Chaos and Heart in Vancouver
Fresh off two sets at Coachella 2026 — a historic milestone as the first Dutch-language artist to ever grace that stage — Joost Klein brought his world tour to Vancouver’s Harbour Event & Convention Centre on Monday night. If the Southern California desert crowds were a warm-up, Vancouver got the real thing.
From the opening notes of Ome Robert to a euphoric, arms-in-the-air Europapa, Klein delivered nearly 30 songs worth of controlled chaos. The Frisian artist operates in a genuinely singular space, somewhere between Dutch hardcore, punk fury, and emotionally devastating party music. And the packed room at Harbour centre felt every single frequency. Sweat was basically precipitation by the midpoint of the set.
The mosh pits were, predictably, unhinged. Klein summons that energy. Circle pits tore open during Gabberland and BOOM BOOM!!!!!, and the crowd obliged every invitation. Yet between the mayhem, there were quieter moments. A gorgeous Zonder Jou hushed the room before Klein rebuilt the roof again.
Highlights were abundant: a wild TRAFIK! (his take on Käärijä’s banger), and an abridged Friesenjung that turned into a full remix by the encore.
This is a guy who started as a teenage Dutch YouTuber, got disqualified from Eurovision 2024 for comments that some judged controversial, and somehow ended up headlining a world tour on five continents. Nobody saw it coming, Klein included. The rest of the world better be ready for this tour.
Joost Klein will be on tour in North America, Europe and Australia until December 2026. Head to his website for all the information.
Check out our favourite photos of the night below or head to our Facebook page for the full gallery!
JOOST
All Photo Credit: Caroline Charruyer
Concerts Photos
Wheatus Play their Debut Album in Full at The Pearl in Vancouver
On April 13, Wheatus rolled into Vancouver and made a strong case that they’ve outgrown rooms like The Pearl. The show was sold out, shoulder-to-shoulder, and honestly felt like it could’ve filled the Commodore Ballroom across the street without breaking a sweat.
Opening support from Chief State and Brain Bent set the tone early, but once Brendan B. Brown and company hit the stage, the night turned into a loose, fan-driven ride. True to form, the band leaned into spontaneity, pulling from a deep catalogue with help from the crowd, before the show even started. “Leroy,” “Truffles,” and “Wannabe Gangstar” landed fast, while “Hump’Em N’ Dump’Em” slipped in a cheeky nod to Madonna.
Covers were a big part of the night. Their take on Erasure’s “A Little Respect” turned into a full-room singalong, complete with a “My Girl” tag, and “Basket Case” by Green Day brought a jolt of energy mid-set. A Canadian highlight came with “My Music at Work,” a respectful nod to The Tragically Hip that hit especially well with the local crowd, followed later by a heartfelt “Time Stand Still” from Rush.
The deeper cuts, “Lemonade,” “Fourteen,” and “I’d Never Write a Song About You, ”showed the band’s range, balancing humour with real vulnerability. Then came “Teenage Dirtbag.” No surprise, it turned into mass karaoke, with every fan in the room locked in from the first line.
Instead of ending big, they closed small. Brown returned alone for an off-mic acoustic “Desperate Songs,” quiet enough that you could hear the room breathe. It was a simple finish that summed up the night: warm and completely in sync with the crowd.
Check out our favourite photos of the night below or head to our Facebook page for the full gallery!
WHEATUS
CHIEF STATE
All Photo Credit: Caroline Charruyer