Concerts Photos
July Talk Bring ‘Touch X Tour’ to the Bronson Music Theatre in Ottawa
On March 25, July Talk brought their Touch X Tour: Celebrating the 10th Anniversary of Touch to a sold-out Bronson Music Theatre in Ottawa.
The night opened with a steady, rootsy set from Julianna Riolino. Her warm vocals and understated delivery gave the room time to settle in, easing the audience into what would soon become a far more volatile atmosphere.
When July Talk hit the stage, the tone shifted instantly. The band leaned into the 10-year legacy of Touch, performing the album front to back. It gave the set a sense of structure, but nothing about the performance felt too rigid, especially in the second half of the show. From the jump, the push-and-pull chemistry between Leah Fay and Peter Dreimanis took over, with her theatrical movements and piercing vocals colliding with his gravelly intensity.
One of the most striking elements of the night was Fay’s stage presence while visibly pregnant. It didn’t slow her down in the slightest. She moved across the stage with a mix of control and abandon, at times swaying with a softer touch, then snapping right back into the band’s usual feral energy. The contrast added a new layer to the performance without ever pulling focus from the music itself.
Tracks like “Beck + Call” and “Picturing Love” hit with the same urgency they had a decade ago, while “Push + Pull” turned the floor into a sea of movement. By the time they reached “Lola + Joseph,” the crowd was fully locked in, feeding off every gesture between the two frontpeople.
Midway through, the band slipped in newer material, including songs from Love Isn’t Dead, a previously unreleased companion record to Touch. Rather than feeling like leftovers, these tracks blended seamlessly into the set and proved they still hold up.
After closing the album portion with “Touch,” the band loosened up. “Summer Dress” sparked a loud singalong, and deeper cuts added variety without losing momentum. The encore brought things home with a punch, ending on “The Garden,” which left the room buzzing.
This Anniversary Tour showed that July Talk still thrives in the chaos they create, and the crowd is more than happy to get swept up in it.
Check out our favourite photos of the night below or head to our Facebook page for the full gallery!
Upcoming Tour Dates:
03/28 Montreal, QC – Theatre Beanfield
03/31 Toronto, ON – History
More information on the band’s website.
JULY TALK
JULIANNA RIOLINO
All Photo Credit: Kieran Delport
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
Concerts Photos
Ruel Brings His ‘Kicking My Feet’ Tour to Los Angeles
Ruel brought his Kicking My Feet tour to a close in Los Angeles on Wednesday, April 8th at the Hollywood Palladium. The tour covered 30 cities over the past two months.
Singer-songwriter Chelsea Jordan opened up the night with a high-energy set, performing some of her own songs to warm up the crowd for the rest of the evening.
Mercer Henderson took the stage next. She sang a handful of her songs that had a folk-pop feel to them as she jumped around the stage.
A little after 9:30, the venue went dark and cheers erupted from the audience. A spotlight flicked on, pouring light through a red door raised in the center of the stage. As the cheers grew louder, Ruel made his grand entrance, emerging through the door in a cloud of smoke while singing “Only Ever,” the first track on his latest album. Kicking My Feet is Ruel’s second studio album, released two years after his debut album back in 2023.
Throughout the night, Ruel took the crowd back to the beginning days of his music, playing some fan favorites such as “Dazed & Confused,” “Younger,” and “Painkiller.” The British-born Australian singer hyped up the audience even more by playing an unreleased song from his upcoming album, Kicking My Feet & Screaming, which is a continuation and second part of Kicking My Feet. The new album is set to release in June.
Openers Chelsea Jordan and Mercer Henderson were brought back out on stage to sing a song with Ruel in a heartwarming tribute to the past eight shows they had done together. A bit later, Ruel surprised the crowd by bringing out Arthur Hill, who had previously joined Ruel as a supporting artist for the first half of the shows on this tour leg.
The night was a lively blur of laughter and dancing, a testament to Ruel’s incredible stage presence and vocals. It was the perfect closing night to the Kicking My Feet tour, no doubt leaving fans with memories that will last a lifetime.
Check out our favourite photos of the night below or head to our Facebook page for the full gallery!
RUEL
MERCER HENDERSON
CHELSEA JORDAN
All Photo Credit: Mallory Snyder