This is one of the few times that I'm glad that I arrived early to catch an opening act. Often…read moretimes I am underwhelmed by the opening band of most shows, however, Nonpoint just blew me away. I came in without prior knowledge of the band but came out feeling as though I've known their music for years. I've grown up with that specific metal sound of crunchy bass and guitars, the sound that became synonymous with 90's metal. Amongst the growls there was still a sense of melody without disconnecting themselves from the genre. The band were very addicting to watch, extremely energetic. Musically they were very tight and displayed good chemistry. The entire band were swinging their dreads and long hair as if they were weapons of mass distraction. The lead singer Elias was a very commanding front man. The majority of the audience had never seen Nonpoint before, however, by the end they had them by the fingers of their devil horns. The way the audience was responding you would've thought that they were veteran hard core fans, however, like myself they were blown away and just caved to the feeling. This is just a testament of how strong the metal community is in Vancouver. I would definitely see these guys again if they came back to do their own solo show. The shoulder to shoulder maze of metal fans in their best black shirts and girls dressed like Harley Quinn was a cultural sceptical. Many familiar faces but enough new ones to make friends with. Floor real estate was claimed early and virtually scarce 10 minutes before the band hit the stage, however, regardless of where you were situated everyone was fully into the show. The minute Disturbed hit the stage they took no prisoners and offered no forgiveness anywhere in their set. You were immediately locked and ready to go. I had a heart and chest condition, therefore, my physical agony limited my body from expressing itself. My heart which feeds off the joy of music made up for the short comings of my physical health. David sounded in prime shape. He hit all the notes with no struggle. The band were all business playing one hit after the other. It was a dream set list. The beautiful sentimental moment was during their short aggression break with a few gentle songs consisting of a great cover of Simon and Garfunkle's Sound of Silence and Inside The Fire. The band were extremely tight. The sound mix was one of the best for a metal show at the Commodore. It was easy to tell each instrument apart. The click tracking of the drums slightly bothered me. There was way too many pre recorded backing tracks that was one step away from being a pop production. This was very noticeable during The Light. The keyboard synth strings bothered me a bit. It made these songs sound too much like a Disney soundtrack. Curveball moment in the night was the pop melody of: Nine Inch Nails, U2, The Who and Rage Against The Machine. They weren't the best covers but they were fun. Everyone's inner Karaoke came out. The sold out sea of unison fist pumps and clapping like a metal army put a smirk on my face. An image I often miss since I am usually in thick roughness of the pit. The machine gun sound of the drum and bass felt as though I was being hit with bullets of musical metal love. The vibration of the low guitar riffs emulated a harmonizing earthquake. My body felt the entire message therapy which temporarily cured the down with the sickness. By the end of the show the entire audience smelt like a dirty gym sock.

I made the evening an event and took advantage of the 5 pm door opening. Even though for 4 hours…read morenothing was actually going on prior to the band hitting the stage it was all about soaking in the sun and mingling with other Cure fans. It was a very festival feeling. Deer Lake is a venue that is severely underused which is a shame considering the trees and lake provide a great atmosphere for pre show celebrations. The forestry makes me less jaded about Vancouver. I spent a good hour doing a deep meditation and yoga session with Peter before the show. We were also early enough for sound check and got to hear some rare Cure songs that are never played to a live audience but are in heavy demand by fans. Two of which were sound checked in full. We scored an extra few songs. Robert Smith frequently reads his message boards and purposely plays the rarities for those who come super early. We packed a pic nic containing our childhood Emo favourites including peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. When I was 6 I used to sit under a tree with my Walkman and listen to The Cure while eating a stack of 3 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. I would sing to every spider I saw on that tree, "The spider man is having me for dinner tonight." I did sit under a tree but I was not visited by spiders but rather old high school associates that I hadn't seen in years. While we recited the Cole notes of our lives to each other it was then that I realized that I haven't changed but everyone else around me did but for the brief few hours I felt 15 again. The show started early at 7 pm with ample daylight to see the different generations of Cure fans sing along with me. I loved looking at everyone's hair, most appropriately tributing the 80's. It was also good to see the goths get their annual intake of vitamin D. In the middle of the show I took off my shoes and ran around. I allowed the sensation of the cool damp grass tingle my soles while the music tingled the other soul. The set list was 3 hours of deep cuts, expected singles and fan favourite album tracks. Robert was being very careful with his energy to ensure the 3 hour performance consistency. Most songs were cake walked but fans didn't care as they were living in their own past memories, myself included. All things considering Robert's vocals were in good shape. He is well aware of his limitations. Most songs are sung and performed in the key of D which makes it manageable to perform years down the road with very minimal alterations along the way. The sound mix was good. The outdoors helped the mix a lot. I could tell that the audience was getting a little restless near the end. It's a bit of a marathon challenge to get through 3 hours, especially when most of their songs are more ambient based. The audience was way more into it than at the Rogers Arena show back in 2008. A good portion came up from Seattle as this was the only proper West Coast show. A lot of people I haven't seen before but wish that I had known in my life time. It it wasn't for the travelled crowd than it would've been another evening with a lack luster Vancouver crowd. There are too many memories attached to most Cure songs: Breakups, kissed, fucks, friendships, comfort songs and beautiful boyfriends. Almost every guy I've ever dated was in the field. It was both awkward and comforting when I looked into their eyes during their assigned songs. Some of us are on good terms and most not so much. The good news is that some of the songs performed tonight rewrote certain memories as I made new ones with Peter and Sharon.

To be honest this was a last minute decision to come out to the show. It's been 12 years since the…read morelast Weezer show and I didn't feel that I missed them after all of these years. They were just a band in the back of my head with 5 songs that I really liked and only 2 of that I can say I connected with. They're not a band band. It was just hard for me to appreciate their very Americana lyrics. Their last 3 albums did nothing for me. Their earlier songs are great pop alternative songs but nothing with memories attached to them. It was a sunny day and a good excuse to go to Deer Lake Park. I did a hike before the show. It was also fun to watch the sun set behind the stage. There was a sense of romantic youth watching the sky change over gradually through various shades of blue. Getting in was an unorganized chaotic mess. They pushed the start time by an hour to ensure that at least a third of the people got in before Panic at The Disco. I didn't have patience for the line and honestly wanted some nachos with fake plastic cheese in my tummy ASAP. I'm not a fan of Panic at The Disco's music, however, their live show was amazing. I was blown away. The entire band gave more than 100%. Their set was high energy which was consistent from beginning to end. I was in the thick of the pit and burned 400 calories (had my fitness watch on). They all enjoyed being on stage which made the audience, myself included, invested in their set even if the music wasn't there for me. I've gained a serious respect for the band. They had a full brass section which is something you don't see often with alternative bands that aren't in the ska genre. Vocally it was hit and miss. The high notes were hit properly but the rest sounded semi horse. It was equal billing, therefore, they got a full 75 minutes. The mood was killed by a horrible cover of Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody. It was embarrassing. Not even my internal Wayne's World moment was able to save it. Panic had a full production and lights which you don't often see with opening bands. Brenden Urie was a very charismatic front man. He managed to pull off the shirtless with leather skinny pants look without looking like a total douche like the guy from The 1975. He treated the image with a sense of respect. I would actually see Panic Again. I cashed in the calories I burned at Panic at The Disco and bought a jumbo hot dog....wait for it.....topped with Pork and Beans. Weezer came out with a semi dramatic entrance with a projection of their trademark "W" front on a curtain.

I didn't get into Lord Huron right away simply 'cause whenever I read the band's name in trade…read morepapers they seemed like an EDM band. I heard a few songs here and there on Much Music and CFOX. I did miss them at this year's Coachella. I was unable to watch their set due to a performance conflict on another stage. I don't regret missing the performance, however, I did take home an appreciation. For a band that just came back from Coachella, played Vancouver (and some other small dates) only to return back to Coachella for weekend 2 this weekend, they were energetic and gave it 100%. It was refreshing to see a new band that were concerned about entertaining compared to some of the new toegazer bands. Their music is folk alternative. A lot of the songs remind me of Vampire Weekend mixed with Two Door Cinema Club. One can also argue that there's a Mumford and Sons feel...just more livelier on the performance delivery. Ben was very addicting to watch live. His vocals have a bit of a twang that works with the music. The sound was great which often can be very hit and miss at The Vogue. The entire new album comes packed with a soundtrack mode. It feels as though you're in an hour long Vince Gilligan TV episode. The music is very well crafted. What got me initially hooked and sunk was the structure of the lyrics that were both loose and autobiographical. Each song has a distinctive mood. It's easy to tell one song from another, all of which are catchy and linger minutes on end after the last note drops. My favorite song is Meet Me In The Woods which has a Springsteen feel to it. I listened to this album 4 times in a row from beginning to end. The songs sounded better live than on the album which has only occurred a small handful of times in my concerting hobby/career. It also helped that the emotions conveyed on the record were emulated honestly in the live performance instead of most bands who just punch in the time clock. They came with their own production in the form of textured fabrics that gave a sophisticated element when the lights bounced off it. They had a huge illuminated sign with the name of their latest album, Strange Trails, changed color in synch with the stage lights. Simple yet effective. The set list was a cross between their last two albums, a full healthy 90 minutes that went by way too fast for me. I was pig in shit when I heard my favorite song, Meet Me In The Woods which has a Springsteen feel to it. During the entire show my body and soul was going through all sorts of moods. I mentally escaped for the better during a lot of the intention moments. The audience was extremely diverse. Most were very into the band. I actually brought a souvenir which rarely happens. The band have marketed themselves well. I bought a Strange Tails comic book and a pack of trail mix nuts in the Strange Trails packaging. Well deserved shout out to my buddy Scott for talking me into coming to the show tonight.

L7 aren't the best live band but to attend was more about a riot girl badge of honour more than…read moreanything. A homage to my youth when Shitlist was my 13 year old anthem. They played in a shithole of a club in the most unsafe hood in the city. I've seen shows in worst circumstances. The atmosphere was fitting for the band in a venue in which both parties didn't care about the sound. I rode the bus late at night clutching my copy of Bricks Are Heavy. I knew that I wasn't going to get it signed nor did I try that hard but it was more of a comfort thing. I just recently acquired it on Vinyl (original pressing) after 16 years of looking. Having a record in my care was also my voice of reason to not get into the mosh pit with a $150 record. My body has been taking a bit of a hit lately that the restraint was for my own good. The people in attendance were exactly how you would picture them to be, aged grunge girls with partially faded dye jobs with 4" of roots grown in without apology. We all looked like characters out of the Decline of Western Civilization. There was a fair share of guys who looked as though they never left the 90's. Every punk rocker in the city was there. I should know cause I was stabbed by their spiked clothing throughout the evening. The girls strolled on stage with a trail of furry. Their stage energy was very inspiring. The chemistry was as in synch as their periods. They were very into their own performance. They were very magnetic to watch. Their music is technically sub par, however, aside from Bikini Kill they're one of the riot girl bands whose individual personality breaks through the thin layer of the music. The stage banter was very vaudeville. Lots of old lady jokes. Contrary to what they remember their last visit to Vancouver wasn't 1989 but rather 1997 when they opened for Marilyn Manson. Sadly I missed their set cause my parents were convinced that Manson was the devil. I actually snuck out to the show to catch Manson but missed L7 in the making. The set list was a greatest hits 75 minutes. Appropriately fitting for this reunion that took longer than it should've been. When I was younger I used to be scared of Donnita Sparks. Her muscle shadow against the horrible Rickshaw lighting was the only thing that flattered Donnita visually, however, she still looked scary. The kind of girl I don't want to get in a bar fight with. Seeing my childhood idols Donnita Sparks and Jennifer Finch on stage together was a dream come true. Donnita has changed her style. She sported the whole Suzie Quatro look while Jennifer looked like an older version of herself but none the wiser.

I am not a fan of either the Coliseum and or The Forum and rarely do I make the unfriendly transit…read moretrek to either or venues unless it's an act that's been on my bucket list. The sound at the Forum has always been awful (horrible echo) due to the concrete structure but with Macklemore I knew that I would be reasonably safe from the architectural noise pollution. Most of the music was set to pre-recorded backing tracks at a reasonable performance volume, therefore, he didn't fall victim to one of Vancouver's most embarrassing and outdated venues. The show actually sounded decent. It was a hot box in the Forum: Sweat, weed and tight to capacity. Sight lines were compromised, therefore, I had to crawl on my hands and knees to make it to the front. I was prepared wearing shorts and a tank top. Touching sticky beer on the concrete floor was more of a passage than an inconvenience. I was dirty before the show began. I looked like someone out of The Walking Dead. I don't think The Forum has been cleaned since 1999. It was then that I realized that the only one who has any business wearing a tank top at rap show was Macklemore. Usually when I am in a tight crowd there's a mosh pit. It was a nice change to be surrounded by bouncers. The energy was consistent from beginning to end for the entire 90 minute set. The enthusiasm is justified considering that he hasn't played a proper headlining show in almost 4 years aside from festivals around BC. Macklemore was more talk than song, however, it was what he said that counted the most. No new opinions to offer but sentiments that have been on everyone's mind lately. Being in Canada allowed him to have a few more inches of political freedom. He had the audience in the palm of their hands. It was difficult to look away at a person who was giving more than 100%. The audience really didn't care that the music wasn't live, however, Macklemore's rapping was. His style is a combination of rhythmic flows at a 4/4 pace that is more storytelling based with a beginning, middle and an end. He actually wants you to hear his opinions against the beats. I appreciate that Macklemore doesn't resort to peer slamming and has positive messages in his music. The show was more about a feeling than it was technical. Even though there was some minor production we all felt as though we were seeing a club show. There was a humble charm. The audience in attendance were mostly families with young kids, some indie music fans and only a small range of rap fans. Very broad age spectrum in attendance. Being a rap show they had way more security than needed but it was a gentle well behaved crowd. Police were relaxed at this one and a few got into the show. Very few toss outs and it was a very self policed crowd. The set list was a greatest hits as well as stand out tracks from the last two albums. The Forum was over packed to capacity all the way to the entrance. I had to crawl back out during the encore on my hands and knees. Along my travels I found an A&W gift card. I was able to satisfy the munchies when I got home due to second hand smoke.

The good thing about walking in 10 minutes before show time is avoiding people I went to high…read moreschool with who made fun of me for listening to White Lies. They're now pretending to be the coolest people in the room. The irony made my eyes roll but it also gave me a few moments to divert my attention and shoot the shit with some music fans. Anything to distract me from acknowledging that I'm seeing a great band in a shithole of a club. Like my high school memories, great music in the most undesirable of circumstances. The minute the band hit the stage opening with Don't Hold Back I felt like the emo kid in my bedroom writing my zine. The way everyone sang the chorus to Lose My Life, "Let's grow old together and die at the same time" felt as though we were making an indirect promise to each other while we turned and sang to the random stranger next to us. I have a small obsession with Joy Division, therefore, I appreciate the band's blue print in sound, music after my own dark heart. There were moments in which I ran my fingers through my hair as a subconscious movement in attempt to absorb more of the addicting sound and vocals of Harry McVeigh. It was a natural high. The band played selected cuts from their new album which flowed seamlessly in quality against the fan favourites (which was the body of the set list). The new material was well received. It's been a while since Gary Numan that an act actually sounded decent in that venue. It was heartwarming that the mix didn't allow the music to go in vein. The band were very energetic and tight in their sound. The songs were delivered as remembered and expected from the studio albums. Vocally Harry was very strong. The 90 minutes went by way too fast for me. I walked out of the show with the euphoric feeling that music is supposed to do.

I came early to check out The Chain Gang of 1974, a band that's been on my radar for a few years…read more It was really awesome to finally get to see them. Due to the first openers Souvenir, who were unable to make it across the border, The Chain Gang of 1974 started a bit early which caused me to miss two songs. Kamtin had charisma and was the scene stealer. The rest of the guys were just as fantastic. Musically they were very tight. The music and the performance was exactly how I had pictured it to be. The set was so energetic that the random bits of confetti (from a different show) from the scaffolding loosened up and showered the audience. The sound mix was well balanced. It was easy to hear each instrument separated making it easier for first timers to get into their set. Of course there's always that guy who has to ruin it for everyone. Some asshole during the second to last song decided to throw a cup filled with water at Kamtin. Naturally he went from channeling his inner Trent Reznor to upset and annoyed. As he was singing I could tell that he was hunting the instigator as was the rest of the audience. Even when he called out the perpetrator the cowered didn't even have the balls to show himself. It just encouraged the audience to cheer stronger to show that we did in fact appreciate The Chain Gang of 1974. They debuted a new song which was just as addicting as the rest of their catalogue. I'm looking forward to this release later in the year. Between bands the audience was soothed by the sounds of Radiohead. I hope that the dude who threw the cup also had a chance to chill out to Radiohead. I made my mingling rounds and was disappointed at the low turn out considering that the last time AFI they sold out the Commodore. The positive side is that I got to be very up close with minimal physical violation. The audience that did show up compacted together. Their energy filled the room. It was a friendly mosh pit of with a lot of apologies after shoves but overall we were in it together. We all helped each other celebrate. No shortage of smiles. The opening music before AFI hit the stage was Duran Duran. Of course in total nerd fashion I danced like I was Hungry Like A Wolf in my New Kids On The Block shirt. I believe that I won up the goths. The band opened with their huge hit Girls Got Grey to get the crowd worked up from the gate. Not that it was needed as we were all excited to see AFI. The rest of their catalogue is just as strong and the show just got better with each passing minute. The sound mix was a little muddy and off, however, everything settle two songs in. The magic moments for me were the songs off Sing The Sorrow. Davey was super energetic and the band were tight. He danced around the stage as if it was his own personal playground. Vocally Davey was strong and held it together on 90% of the songs. The few moments in which he was short of breath was disguised well. The icing on the cupcake was when they performed Silver and Gold, a song that holds some personal sentiment. Head banging with everyone as the audience echoed the chorus was a moment that summed up the whole show in less than 3 minutes. I walked out of the venue with the other metal goths clutching my neck with the urgency to leave a message with my chiropractor before I got home. A sign that the show was enjoyed.