Concerts Photos
The Academy Is… Bring ‘Almost Here’ 20th Anniversary Tour to Los Angeles
Attention! Attention! All your eyes and ears are turned towards the Belasco Theater on a cold Friday night in Downtown Los Angeles in December, as The Academy Is… comes to Los Angeles in front of a capacity crowd at this historic 1926 venue. TIA were playing a huge set on this tour, with a lot of songs coming off the album Almost Here, which was celebrating its 20th anniversary.
The band was joined by Slow Joy, fronted by mastermind Esteban Flores. The band was energetic and really got the crowd moving and interacting. Their live set is punchy pop rock mixed in with heavy rock, emo, and bit shoegazy at times. Definitely something the crowd at this show could easily get behind. The band played with nothing to lose, making sure to remind everyone that while you came to see TAI, you would not forget Slow Joy. Not one bit.
The Academy Is… stepped onto the stage, only to be illuminated into light once “ATTENTION ATTENTION” kicked in to a much higher gear, and the crowd really started to chant and sing along with singer William Beckett making sure to ask the crowd if they were here to have fun and get involved in singing as loudly as humanly possible.
The band moved into “Seasons,” which got the crowd dancing with its sublimely fun guitar harmonic parts, and danceable drum beat that moves into a soaring chorus that you’d sing at the top of your lungs. Beckett moved onstage with such ferocity and suave, as he danced and preened his way into the crowd that was clearly having the best times of their lives, and we’ve only just started.
The band moved into “Slow Down,” with its ambient sound, absolute pristine, and heavier live. Beckett moves onstage like a pied piper, singing “kiss me like an over dramatic actor, that’s starving work”, perhaps a simple nod to the nature of the not so simple lives of Hollywood and the industry as a whole.
Check out our favorite photos of the night below or head to our Facebook page for the full gallery!
THE ACADEMY IS…
SLOW JOY
All Photo Credit: John McCrary
Concerts Photos
The Charlatans at the Commodore Ballroom in Vancouver
There is something special about watching a band that has been doing this for decades step onstage and look like they are having just as much fun as the people watching them. That was The Charlatans at the Commodore Ballroom in Vancouver on September 11.
Frontman Tim Burgess remains one of the most naturally charismatic figures in British alternative rock. From the opening moments, he was constantly connecting with the crowd, arms raised, dancing across the stage and soaking in every response. There was no sense of going through the motions. The joy looked genuine.
The set balanced the band’s latest album, We Are Love, with a deep run through their back catalogue. “We Are Love,” “Deeper and Deeper” and “For the Girls” sat comfortably beside classics like “North Country Boy,” “Weirdo,” “Tellin’ Stories,” “One to Another” and “Just When You’re Thinkin’ Things Over.”
Tony Rogers’ Hammond organ remained one of the band’s secret weapons, adding that unmistakable swirl to the songs, while Mark Collins’ guitar and Martin Blunt’s bass gave the set its groove. The chemistry between the musicians was just as enjoyable as the songs themselves. At times, it felt less like watching a tightly scripted rock show and more like being invited into a really good studio jam.
“North Country Boy” and “One to Another” produced some of the biggest reactions of the night, but “The Only One I Know” was the obvious crowd-pleaser. They closed the encore with “Sproston Green.”
More than 30 years into their career, The Charlatans are not simply selling nostalgia. They are still making new music, still taking chances onstage and, perhaps most importantly, still look like they genuinely love playing together. Vancouver got a reminder that some bands age, but the Charlatans just keep playing.
Check out our favourite photos of the night below or head to our Facebook page for the full gallery!
THE CHARLATANS
All Photo Credit: Caroline Charruyer
Concerts Photos
Kaleo Brings Icelandic Fire to History Ottawa
Icelandic blues rock band Kaleo played History Ottawa on Tuesday night, headlining a bill that also introduced the city to opening act the Pernikoff Brothers in the duo’s first-ever Ottawa performance.
Pernikoff Brothers Open with Storytelling Performance
The Pernikoff Brothers took the stage first, tasked with winning over a crowd that had never seen them play live in the city. The band built its set around a strong narrative thread, framing songs with between-song storytelling.
A highlight of the night came from their drummer, whose solos punctuated the show and drew some of the loudest reactions of the opening slot.
Kaleo Headlines with Focus on Music Over Spectacle
When Kaleo walked out, there was no need for spectacle, the band let the music do essentially all of the talking. Just a tight, focused set built around the thing that’s made them a global name: those vocals.
Guitar work added a bluesy edge throughout, and the band’s dynamic range, moving between restrained verses and full-band choruses, kept the audience engaged without relying on elaborate production or extended stage talk.
The Icelandic band will finish their Canadian leg of the tour in Prince Edward Island September 11th, before continuing their international tour into 2027.
New Venue
The show also served as an early test for History, Ottawa’s newest live music venue. The room handled both acts well, supporting the Pernikoff Brothers‘ more stripped-down sound as well as Kaleo‘s fuller electric set. Based on this performance, the venue appears well-positioned to become a regular stop for touring acts.
Tuesday’s show paired a promising Ottawa debut from the Pernikoff Brothers with a focused, vocal-driven headline set from Kaleo, all inside a new venue that proved itself capable of hosting both.
Check out our favourite photos of the night below or head to our Facebook page for the full gallery!
KALEO
PERNIKOFF BROTHERS
All Photo Credit: Kieran Delport