Theatre was always going to be part of Emei’s world. The Chinese-American pop singer has described herself as a lifelong “theater kid,” and at the Vogue Theatre on October 3, that side of her was impossible to miss. Her Night At The Opera tour lived up to its name, turning the Vancouver stop into a colourful, theatrical production that happened to fall on Emei’s birthday.

The night opened with Madelline, whose theatrical pop was an easy match for the evening. She grabbed the room quickly with strong showmanship, upbeat songs and sticky melodies, wrapped in a playful cabaret aesthetic. The audience clearly understood the assignment too, with plenty of fans showing up dressed for the occasion.

Once Emei took the stage, the show unfolded in acts, complete with dancers and enough visual drama to keep the audience guessing. Songs from Night At The Opera sat comfortably alongside older favourites, including “Late to the Party,” “Scatterbrain” and “Love Me Not.”

The birthday theme became part of the show itself. After “Irresponsible,” fans raised handmade banners for Emei, turning the room into a giant birthday card.

Then came the kind of concert moment no production meeting can plan for. During “Late to the Party,” technical problems brought the performance to a stop. Rather than let the silence take over, Emei turned the delay into roughly ten minutes of completely unplanned entertainment. She answered questions from the crowd, talked about her current Lady Gaga obsession and her appreciation for getting some sleep on the tour bus, accepted a crocheted duck from a fan and posed for a group photo with the audience. Of course, the crowd sang “Happy Birthday” too. Once the technical issue was sorted, Emei simply restarted the song and carried on.

Later, during “You Are Bad,” Emei and her two musicians froze onstage as her dancers used the moment to surprise her with a birthday sash. Party hats followed for the guitarist and drummer, prompting another round of “Happy Birthday” from the crowd. An interlude featuring Emei briefly hitting the drums kept the theatrical momentum moving.

The whole thing could have felt chaotic. Instead, it felt personal. I last saw Emei at All Things Go in Toronto in 2025, and I was really excited to her on her own headlining tour. Her command of the stage and her ability to pull a crowd into her world have grown since then. She has the songs, the theatrical instincts and the live confidence to back them up.

If this is only Act 1, I’m very looking forward to see what Emei does next.

Check out our favourite photos of the night below or head to our Facebook page for the full gallery!

EMEI

MADELLINE

All Photo Credit: Caroline Charruyer

British electronic funk outfit Jungle brought its Sunshine World Tour to Vancouver’s Pacific Coliseum on October 2, turning the arena into something that felt far removed from 2026. For a couple of hours, the band’s mix of funk, disco, soul and psychedelic pop made the place feel like a very stylish party from the 1970s that somehow landed in East Vancouver.

For anyone new to Jungle, the project was formed in London in 2013 by childhood friends Josh Lloyd-Watson and Tom McFarland. What started as a mysterious duo became a full live band, with vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Lydia Kitto becoming a key part of the lineup. Across five albums, including their Mercury Prize-nominated debut and their latest record, Sunshine, Jungle have built a sound that feels rooted in the past without getting stuck there.

Jungle appeared behind long curtains, revealing a stage setup that looked like a mid-century modern conversation pit. It was an appropriately retro setting for a band that has made old-school grooves feel current. “Smile” got things moving immediately, and the crowd rarely stopped from there.

Tracks including “Heavy, California,” “PROBLEMZ,” “Beat 54 (All Good Now)” and “The Wave” kept the energy high. The band moved between instruments with ease, rarely stopping long enough for the momentum to disappear. Kitto was a standout throughout, her vocals cutting cleanly through the layered instrumentation while her presence added another dimension to the performance.

The production was just as important. Teal, orange, red and blue lighting shifted with the music, creating everything from soft, dreamy moments to full-on dance-floor chaos. Fog and sharp beams of light gave the Pacific Coliseum a cinematic quality without distracting from the musicians.

Then came “Back on 74,” the obvious crowd favourite. The song’s Fosse-inspired video has become one of Jungle’s defining visual moments, and Kitto and the backing vocalists brought some of that choreography to the stage with sharp poses, curved shoulders and expressive hand movements. The audience knew every move and every word.

By the time “Keep Moving” and “Busy Earnin’” arrived as the two-song encore, there was little question that Vancouver was still ready for more. The band had spent the night keeping everyone on their feet, and the final notes were met with cheers, whistles and a Coliseum full of people who probably weren’t quite ready to return to 2026.

Jungle may make music inspired by another era, but their live show doesn’t feel nostalgic for nostalgia’s sake. It feels alive. And last night, Vancouver was more than happy to keep moving.

Check out our favourite photos of the night below or head to our Facebook page for the full gallery!

JUNGLE

All Photo Credit: Caroline Charruyer