Concerts Photos
Mt. Joy at Deer Lake Park in Burnaby
On August 19, Mt. Joy brought their 2025 headlining tour to Deer Lake Park in Burnaby, filling the hillside with indie folk-rock jams and good vibes. The Philadelphia-born five-piece, touring in support of their latest record Hope We Have Fun, delivered a set that balanced fresh tracks with fan favourites.
The band split their performance into two sets, giving fans plenty of time to soak in the mix of new material and older tracks. They opened with “Pink Lady” before moving through early standouts like “Jenny Jenkins” and “I’m Your Wreck.” The crowd responded in kind, singing and swaying as the band shifted between slow-burn ballads and extended jams. Jackie Miclau’s keys added a psychedelic shimmer throughout, especially on “Ruins” and “Dirty Love,” while Matt Quinn’s vocals carried both tenderness and grit.
Set two leaned into their 2022 album Orange Blood and this year’s Hope We Have Fun. Songs like “Julia” and “Lucy” drew some of the biggest reactions of the night, with Quinn pausing to speak about friendship and community before “Lucy,” earning loud cheers. A playful snippet of Buddy Holly’s “Not Fade Away” slipped into “Mt. Joy,” and by the time “Silver Lining” closed the main set, the audience was in full voice.
For the encore, the band pulled a surprise with Wheatus’s “Teenage Dirtbag,” sparking a sing-along, before ending with the fan-favourite “Astrovan.” Mt. Joy has managed to turn Deer Lake Park into one big campfire jam.
Upcoming tour dates:
August 22 – Hayden Homes Amphitheater – Bend, OR
August 23 – The Greek Theatre – Berkeley, CA
August 24 – Santa Barbara Bowl – Santa Barbara, CA
August 26 – The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park – San Diego, CA
September 11 – Budweiser Stage – Toronto, ON
September 12 – September 14 – Borderland Music Festival – East Aurora, NY
September 13 – United Center – Chicago, IL
September 16 – The Armory – Minneapolis, MN
September 17 – Kohl Center – Madison, WI
September 20 – TD Garden – Boston, MA
September 23 – Koka Booth Amphitheatre – Cary, NC
September 24 – ExploreAsheville.com Arena – Asheville, NC
September 26 – TD Pavilion at The Mann – Philadelphia, PA
September 27 – TD Pavilion at The Mann – Philadelphia, PA
More info on their website.
Check our our favourite photos of the night below or head to our Facebook page for the full gallery!
MT. JOY
All Photo Credit: Bailey Morgan
Concerts Photos
Alabama Shakes Bring the Soul Back to Vancouver
After nearly a decade away, Alabama Shakes returned to Vancouver on June 26 for a night that was both a reunion and a revival. Performing at the new Freedom Mobile Arch, the Alabama band wasted little time reminding the crowd why their blend of blues, rock, soul, and gospel made such an impact in the first place.
The band opened shortly after 8p.m. with immediate force, locking into the familiar rhythms that have defined their sound since their 2012 debut, Boys & Girls. As the daylight decreased, “Another Life” brought a warm shift to the rainy evening, with the crowd swaying together before “Hang Loose” kept the mood loose and upbeat.
At the centre of it all was Brittany Howard, whose voice remains as commanding as ever. Her ability to move from a delicate falsetto on “Future People” to a full-throated roar gave the songs a fresh edge without losing what made them special. “I Found You” brought out the band’s gospel and blues roots, while “Hold On” turned the venue into one massive singalong.
The set’s emotional high point came with “Gimme All Your Love,” as Howard and the band leaned into every groove. “Don’t Wanna Fight” followed with equal parts tension and release before the band left the stage.
Alabama Shakes‘ return showed that, after all these years, this band can still make a crowd rise.
Check out our favourite photos of the night below or head to our Facebook page for the full gallery!
ALABAMA SHAKES
All Photo Credit: Caroline Charruyer
Concerts Photos
Of Monsters and Men Bring ‘The Mouse Parade’ Tour to the Queen Elizabeth Theatre in Vancouver
Of Monsters and Men returned to Vancouver on June 25 with a packed show at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre, bringing their mix of indie folk, rock and cinematic pop to a crowd that was more than ready to welcome them back. After years away from the live stage, the Icelandic band showed no signs of rust, delivering a performance that moved easily between quiet, atmospheric moments and full-room singalongs.
The evening opened with American indie folk singer-songwriter, August Ponthier, who shared songs from their debut album Everywhere Isn’t Texas, as well as new unreleased material.
At 9p.m., the lights dropped and Of Monsters And Men emerged from the shadows, surrounded by haze and an eerie wash of light that matched the darker mood of their newer material.
The set leaned heavily on songs from their latest album, All Is Love and Pain in the Mouse Parade, giving fans a chance to hear how the band’s sound has developed since their breakthrough. Tracks like “The Actor” and “Ordinary Creature” brought a more layered, reflective side of the group, yet they fit comfortably alongside older favourites.
Of course, the biggest reactions came when the band reached back into their catalogue. Both “King and Lionheart” and “Dirty Paws” had the audience singing along. Then came “Little Talks,” still one of the band’s biggest hits and an undeniable highlight of the night. The familiar opening instantly brought the room together, with the crowd handling a lot of the vocals.
At the centre of it all were Nanna Bryndís Hilmarsdóttir and Ragnar Þórhallsson, whose voices remain the band’s greatest strength. Their harmonies, paired with the group’s dynamic musicianship, made the long-awaited return feel completely worth the wait.
Check out our favourite photos of the night below or head to our Facebook page for the full gallery!
OF MONSTERS AND MEN
AUGUST PONTHIER
All Photo Credit: Caroline Charruyer