Concerts Photos
The Cat Empire at the Commodore Ballroom in Vancouver
Last night, The Cat Empire turned the Commodore Ballroom into a global block party for the first of two nights in the city. Touring behind Bird in Paradise, their newest album and second release with their refreshed lineup, the long-running Australian collective showed exactly why their reputation as a live band remains untouchable.
Bermuda Search Party opened the night with a solid, brass-heavy groove set that got the early crowd moving, but it wasn’t until The Cat Empire made their entrance, kicking off with “Blood On The Stage,” that the party truly kicked off. Frontman Felix Riebl and keyboardist Ollie McGill, the two remaining original members, led a stage full of seasoned musicians who each took turns stealing the spotlight.
The setlist jumped from old favourites like “The Chariot” ( with Bermuda Search party joining the band on stage for this track) to newer songs like “Bird In Paradise” and “Going To Live,” mixing ska, jazz, Afrobeat, and Latin rhythms into something uniquely their own. It’s hard to overstate how tight the band sounded. Every breakdown, horn solo, and tempo change hit clean.
The emotional centre of the night came with “Be With You Again,” a tribute to Riebl’s late brother Max. The room softened for a few minutes, before erupting again in joy as the band pushed into a dancey encore medley and ended with “All Night Loud.”
The Cat Empire is still evolving, and still throwing some of the best live shows you’ll ever see!
Upcoming Tour Dates:
Jun 15, 2025 – Vancouver, BC – Commodore Ballroom
Jun 17, 2025 – Seattle, WA – Neptune Theatre
Jun 18, 2025 – Boise, ID – Shrine Social Club
Jun 19, 2025 – Stanley, ID – Sawtooth Valley Gathering
Jun 20, 2025 – Salt Lake City, UT – The Commonwealth Room
Jun 21, 2025 – Bellvue, CO – The Mishawaka
Jun 23, 2025 – Des Moines, IA – Wooly’s
Jun 24, 2025 – Minneapolis, MN – Fine Line
Jun 26, 2025 – Oshkosh, WI – Leach Amphitheater (Waterfest at Riverside Park)
Jun 27, 2025 – Chicago, IL – Thalia Hall
Jun 28, 2025 – Milwaukee, WI – Summerfest
Jun 29, 2025 – Kalamazoo, MI – Bell’s Eccentric Cafe (Bell’s Beer Garden Concert Series)
Jun 30, 2025 – Toronto, ON – The Danforth Music Hall
Jul 2, 2025 – Montreal, QC – MTELUS (Montréal Jazz Festival)
Jul 4, 2025 – Calgary, AB – Calgary Stampede
Jul 5, 2025 – Quebec City, QC – Festival d’été de Québec
Jul 6, 2025 – Alma, QC – Festirame
Jul 8, 2025 – Cambridge, MA – The Sinclair
Jul 9, 2025 – New York, NY – Irving Plaza
Jul 10, 2025 – Ottawa, ON – Ottawa Bluesfest
Jul 12, 2025 – Winnipeg, MB – Winnipeg Folk Festival
More information on their website.
Check out our favourite photos of the night below or head to our Facebook page for the full gallery!
THE CAT EMPIRE
BERMUDA SEARCH PARTY
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
Concerts Photos
Goose Brings their ‘Summer Tour’ to the Commodore Ballroom in Vancouver
Goose brought their 2026 Summer Tour to Vancouver on Tuesday night, turning the Commodore Ballroom into a sweaty, late-night dance party that stretched well past 11 p.m.
The Connecticut-based quartet — Rick Mitarotonda, Peter Anspach, Trevor Weekz and drummer Cotter Ellis — has built a reputation for letting songs breathe onstage, and Vancouver got the full treatment. The band played two sets and an encore, giving the crowd plenty of room to settle into the grooves and watch the songs take unexpected turns.
The first set opened with “Yeti” before moving through “All I Need,” “Turbulence & The Night Rays” and “Time to Flee.” “Everything Must Go” kept things moving before “Hungersite” closed the set with one of the night’s bigger stretches of improvisation.
After a break, Goose returned and launched into “Electric Avenue,” a crowd-pleasing choice that had the Commodore singing along.
There was little interest in rushing through the evening. Goose gave each section space, moving from tight grooves to loose instrumental passages without making the show feel like a collection of extended solos.
For a band coming off a European run and heading into some of its biggest U.S. shows, Vancouver felt like another strong stop on the way. The Commodore may be a much smaller room than Madison Square Garden or SPAC, but Goose seemed perfectly happy to stretch out inside it.
Check out our favourite photos of the night below or head to our Facebook page for the full gallery!
GOOSE
All Photo Credit: Caroline Charruyer