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
Concerts Photos
Buffalo Traffic Jam at the Danforth Music Hall in Toronto
There is something magical about voices matching the season. The excitement of walking up to the Danforth Music Hall on the perfect autumn night, only to be engulfed in raw, emotive rasp.
Lydia Maes really pulled me in. There’s such an emotional quality to her voice. The way she incorporates the saxophone and the way she hypnotizes the crowd. She played a beautiful set and then later came out with her fiddle, to join Buffalo Traffic Jam.
Colin Lynch completely caught me off guard, with a voice that sounds like he sells out stadiums. He’s young, but that soulful, raspy, depth speaks to every age.
Then came the one and only Buffalo Traffic Jam. Gritty, earthy harmonies took over the Danforth and the crowd was electrified. There’s something about their sound that feels both stripped down and warm at the same time, and the moment they started, we were all at their mercy.
Check out our favourite photos of the night below or head to our Facebook page for the full gallery!
BUFFALO TRAFFIC JAM
COLIN LYNCH
LYDIA MAES
All Photo Credit: Bailey Morgan
Concerts Photos
Sabaton Bring Fire and Fury to Vancouver on North American Tour Finale
After many many years away from Vancouver, Sabaton returned to the PNE Forum on October 8 for a fiery night of heavy metal, military-themed theatrics and massive sing-alongs. The Swedish metal band chose the city to close out its North American tour, and it went out with a bang.
Opening the night was Pop Evil, whose modern hard rock offered a different sound from the headliner’s power metal. Tracks like “Trenches” brought plenty of energy, giving the crowd a reason to get moving before the main event. Their heavier riffs and commanding stage presence made for a solid start to the evening despite the low lighting.
Sabaton wasted little time making its return count. Kicking off with “Ghost Division,” the band delivered a wall of sound backed by pounding drums, sharp guitar riffs and bursts of fire that lit up the Forum. The stage, complete with military-inspired hardware, gave the performance the feel of a full-scale production rather than a standard metal concert.
Frontman Joakim Brodén led the charge with his unmistakable voice and natural sense of showmanship. Songs like “The Last Stand,” “Stormtroopers” and “Night Witches” showcased the band’s knack for turning historical stories into anthems built for thousands of voices. The crowd happily did its part, singing along throughout the night.
The spectacle never distracted from the music. Flames punctuated the band’s heaviest moments, adding extra intensity to “Bismarck,” “Fields of Verdun” and “The Attack of the Dead Men.” For the latter, the band leaned into the song’s subject matter with gas masks, adding another theatrical touch to an already explosive set.
The closing stretch was pure Sabaton. “Swedish Pagans” brought another huge audience sing-along before “Primo Victoria” and “To Hell and Back” sent the Forum into the night at full volume.
After seven years, Sabaton gave Vancouver plenty of reasons to welcome them back. Closing the North American tour with a performance this tight, loud and entertaining was a fitting end to the run. With commanding vocals, memorable choruses and enough pyro to warm the entire Forum, the band left little doubt that its next visit cannot come soon enough.
Check out our favourite photos of the night below or head to our Facebook page for the full gallery!
SABATON
POP EVIL
All Photo Credit: Caroline Charruyer