Concerts Photos
Megadeth at Rogers Forum in Abbostford
Megadeth rolled into Abbotsford’s Rogers Forum on February 17 with their Canadian farewell tour in tow, and they did not waste a second getting down to business. The lineup alone was enough to make any thrash fan sweat a little. Bay Area pioneers Exodus kicked things off with a gritty, no-frills set that immediately sparked the first mosh pits of the night, followed by NYC heavyweights Anthrax, who kept the circle pits churning and the energy climbing. By the time Megadeth hit the stage, the arena was buzzing and fully warmed up.
They came out swinging with “Tipping Point,” “Dread and the Fugitive Mind,” and a ripping “Hangar 18,” setting a fierce pace right away. The band sounded tight, confident, and completely in sync, tearing through a set that balanced longtime favourites with deeper cuts. On the floor, the pits kept opening and collapsing in waves, a constant swirl of bodies matching every rapid-fire riff.
About halfway through, the band made some tour debuts featuring “She-Wolf,” and “Poison Was the Cure”. Not too long after, fans were treated to one of their biggest hits “Symphony of Destruction” which turned into a full-arena moment, thousands of voices chanting in unison.
For two hours, Megadeth revisited decades of material with clarity and precision. If this really is the last run, Abbotsford got to see them exactly how they should be seen: loud and in full command of the chaos.
Check out our favourite photos of the night below or head to our Facebook page for the full gallery!
Upcoming Tour Dates:
Feb. 20 – Calgary, Alberta @ Scotiabank, Saddledome
Feb. 21 – Edmonton, Alberta @ Rogers Place
Feb. 24 – Saskatoon, Saskatchewan @ SaskTel Centre
Feb. 25 – Winnipeg, Manitoba @ Canada Life Centre
Feb. 28 – London, Ontario @ Canada Life Place
March 1 – Ottawa, Ontario @ Canadian Tire Centre
March 3 – Halifax, Nova Scotia @ Scotiabank Centre
March 4 – Moncton, New Brunswick @ Avenir Centre
March 6 – Quebec City, Quebec @ Videotron Centre
April 23 – Lima, Peru @ Costa 21
April 26 – Bogota, Colombia @ Movistar Arean
April 27 – Bogota, Colombia @ Movistar Arean
April 30 – Buenos Aires, Argentina @ TBA
May 2 – Sao Paulo, Brazil @ Espaco Unimed
May 4 – Santiago, Chile @ Movistar Arena
May 5 – Santiago, Chile @ Movistar Arena
May 8 – Monterrey, Mexico @ Arena Monterrey
May 10 – Mexico City, Mexico @ Arena Ciudad de Mexico
May 11 – Mexico City, Mexico @ Arena Ciudad de Mexico
May 13 – Guadalajara, Mexico @ Arena Guadalajara
May 25 – Valencia, Spain @ Roig Arena
May 27 – A Coruna, Spain @ Coliseum
May 29 – Bilbao, Spain @ Bizkaia Arena-BEC!
June 2 – Hanover, Germany @ Heinz von Heiden Arena (supporting Iron Maiden)
June 6 – Maastricht, Netherlands @ South of Heaven Open Air*
June 7 – Gelsenkirchen, Germany @ Amphitheater
June 10 – Hradec Králové, Czechia @ Rock for People*
June 11 – Esch-Sur-Alzette, Luxembourg @ Rockhal
June 14 – Ferrara, Italy @ Ferrara Summer Festival*
June 15 – Zurich, Switzerland @ Halle 622
June 16 – Vienna, Austria @ Gasometer
June 18, Dessel, Belgium @ Graspop Metal Meeting*
June 20 – Clisson, France @ Hellfest*
June 23 – Istanbul, Turkey @ Kucukciftlik Park
June 26 – Helsinki, Finland @ Tuska*
June 28 – Almaty, Kazakhstan @ Spartak Stadium
Aug. 8 – Sturgis, S.D. @ Sturgis Buffalo Chip
* = Festival date
More information on Megadeth’s website.
MEGADETH
ANTHRAX
EXODUS
All Photo Credit: Heather Horncastle
Concerts Photos
Peaches Brings Performance Art and Pure Chaos to Vancouver
Despite Peaches, aka Merrill Nisker, being such an iconic figure of my millennial youth, I had somehow never seen her live. After finally catching her at the Commodore Ballroom on September 4, I’m still wondering what took me so long.
Part concert, part performance art and completely unapologetic, Peaches delivered one of the wildest shows I’ve experienced. The night started strong with Pixel Grip, one of the best opening acts I’ve seen in years. By the time Dolly Parton’s “9 to 5” came over the speakers before Peaches took the stage, the Commodore was buzzing.
Peaches opened with “Hanging Titties” dressed in an absurd, head-to-toe costume covered in dangling phallic imagery, setting the tone immediately. From there came a parade of outrageous costumes, surreal visuals and choreography that seemed purpose-built to make anyone uncomfortable. There were hairy body parts, fetish-inspired outfits and enough costume changes to give an entire season of RuPaul’s Drag Race a run for its money.
Yet beneath the shock value, there was a clear point. At 59, Peaches continues to challenge expectations around gender, sexuality, beauty and aging. Her show is deliberately confrontational, but it’s just as playful.
The biggest moment came when Peaches stepped into the crowd and was carried across the Commodore, performing as fans passed her overhead.
The encore brought the legendary “Fuck the Pain Away,” followed by “No Lube So Rude,” closing out a night that was equal parts hilarious, chaotic and completely unforgettable.
Check out our favourite photos of the night below or head to our Facebook page for the full gallery!
PEACHES
All Photo Credit: Caroline Charruyer
Concerts Photos
Wave To Earth Bring ‘the pieces tour’ to Vancouver
By the time Wave to Earth took the stage at Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Arena on September 4, Vancouver was already buzzing. A lineup stretched around the block as fans waited to see the South Korean indie-rock trio kick off the first date of their the pieces tour in the city.
The band’s stage setup immediately set the tone, arranged to look like a cozy living room, complete with windows that opened onto a constantly changing view of the world outside. The clever screens showed footage filmed just outside the arena, creating the illusion that the stage was looking out onto the neighbourhood. Periodically, TransLink buses could be seen passing by, an unexpectedly Vancouver specific detail that made the arena feel intimate.
That sense of intimacy carried into the band’s entrance, with lead singer Daniel Kim stepping onto the stage wearing a UBC Arts cap, a small but memorable nod to the city and its university community.
From the opening notes, Wave to Earth leaned into the warm, laid-back atmosphere that has made their music resonate with fans around the world. The contrast between the arena’s size and the deliberately homey stage design made the show feel like being invited into the band’s living room.
As the opening night of the pieces tour, the Vancouver show set the tone for what promises to be a visually thoughtful and atmospheric run of dates.
Check out our favourite photos of the night below or head to our Facebook page for the full gallery!
WAVE TO EARTH
All Photo Credit: Kelli Rothwell