Author Archives: Bryce Taylor

Death Cab for Cutie double header at the Commodore

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Death Cab for Cutie is coming to the Commodore Ballroom in Vancouver for back-to-back shows on Wednesday, June 14th, and Thursday, June 15th! Don’t miss your chance to see one of the great indie bands of the 21st century live.

Death Cab’s music began with an emo vibe, but throughout the years, they’ve distanced themselves from that sound and gravitated more towards a traditional indie sound. I’m grateful they did as their evolved sound is more up my alley.

They got their big break with their 2003 album Transatlanticism, which received critical acclaim. Songs from this album were featured in TV shows like The O.C., Six Feet Under, CSI: Miami and Californication, and the films Wedding Crashers, Easy A, and Mean Creek. From that point, they continued building momentum and have become one of the more popular indie bands in the Pacific Northwest.

Despite not being Canadian, they are somewhat local, at least to the Pacific Northwest. They hail from Bellingham, Washington, and have made many trips across the border to play here in BC. That trend continues to this day as they prepare to make another appearance in Vancouver.

Coming off the release of their 2022 album Asphalt Meadows, their tour runs until October, and has dates across the United States and Canada. It’s a busy year for the band that formed in 1997.

They just knock everything they touch out of the park and have come out with so many great songs over their incredible 26-year run. Some of my favorites over the years include “Soul Meets Body,” “I Dreamt We Spoke Again,” “Transatlanticism,” “I Will Follow You into The Dark,” “Title and Registration,” “The Ghosts of Beverly Drive,” “Good Help (Is So Hard to Find),” “I Will Possess Your Heart,” and “Waterfalls.” My favorite song off Asphalt Meadows is “Here to Forever.”

Right now, the band features Ben Gibbard (vocals, guitar, piano), Nick Harmer (bass), Dave Depper (guitar, keyboards, backing vocals), Zac Rae (keyboards, guitar), and Jason McGerr (drums). They went through significant changes once Chris Walla left the group in 2014. Gibbard is the only remaining band member from their initial 1997 incarnation, though Harmer joined soon after in 1998.

Did you know the name Death Cab for Cutie came from a song of the same name from a 1967 song of the same name by the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band? Well, there’s a mouthful.

Don’t miss the boat! Get your tickets now for Death Cab for Cutie at The Commodore Ballroom. And in the meantime, keep your radio station tuned into Evolution 107.9.

Avenged Sevenfold and Alexisonfire live in Vancouver on August 7

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On Monday, August 7th, Avenged Sevenfold is coming to Rogers Arena in Vancouver with guest Alexisonfire. This is sure to be a rip-roaring good time. If you want to attend, make sure you stay safe, I’m sure the mosh pit will be rowdier than Roddy Piper.

Both heavy metal bands are two of the most popular in their genre, making this one of the most highly anticipated shows of the year!

Avenged Sevenfold is from Huntington Beach, California, and was formed in 1999. Currently, the band’s lineup features vocalist M. Shadows, rhythm guitarist Zacky Vengeance, lead guitarist Synyster Gates, bassist Johnny Christ, and drummer Brooks Wackerman. They’ve gone through various incarnations over the years. Shadows and Vengeance are the only remaining members from the original formation.

They’ve won 22 awards over the years, with another 19 nominations on top of that! They’re one of the most decorated metal groups of all time! Their biggest hit, Hail to the King, which is a straight-up banger, has amassed nearly 500 million listens on Spotify alone! Check out their latest single “Nobody.” Some people have complained that their more recent work “isn’t metal enough,” but as someone who’s always preferred rock over metal, I’m fine with that.

Alexisonfire was formed in 2001 in St. Catherine’s, Ontario. The band’s members are George Pettit (vocals), Dallas Green (vocals, guitar, keyboards), Wade MacNeil (guitar, vocals), Chris Steele (bass), and Jordan Hastings (drums, percussion). They’ve won nine awards over the years, including Junos for New Group of the Year, and Rock Album of the Year (Otherness). Otherness (2022) was their first studio album since 2009.

I’ve always been partial to “Sweet Leaf.” Probably my favorite Alexisonfire song. Tune into Evolution 107.9 to hear songs from their 2022 album Otherness. They’ve been credited for influencing most of the mid-2000s post-hardcore scene. Along with Billy Talent, they’re considered one of the most influential bands in Canadian history. Some people credit them for changing the sound of Canadian music forever. Incredible!

These two bands go well together, making them the perfect choice for a double bill. It should be an explosive show. Plus, you can get tickets for as low as $50, which is a good deal for such a big show.

Don’t miss out on your chance to see two of the greatest metal bands of the 21st century live in Vancouver at Rogers Arena! You know you want to.

 

Weezer: 29 years of greatness

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weezer

Jeff Egnaczyck / flickr

Yesterday marked the 29th anniversary of one of my favorite albums of all time. Which album is it? That would be The Blue Album by Weezer, of course! This was their first album, aside from a demo tape released in 1992, and it still features some of their best work. Songs like “Buddy Holly,” “Undone – The Sweater Song,” “Holiday,” and “Say It Ain’t So” are truly iconic. I’d highly recommend giving The Blue Album a listen, especially if you’ve never heard it. If you have heard it, take a trip back to one of the greatest albums of the 1990s. Pitchfork ranked it as the 25th greatest album of the 1990s, and those high accolades were universal.

What makes Weezer so impressive though, is not their early work. It’s their sustained greatness. The longevity of Weezer is just incredible. While not every song on every album is great, I think there’s enough to like on every album. Especially Pinkerton, which is arguably even better than The Blue Album. I’m also a big fan of both The Green Album and The Red Album.

And even to this day, they’re still absolutely killing it. I really enjoyed their Van Weezer album.

They released their latest single, “Records” last year and you can listen to that here on Evolution 107.9!

If you have an inkling to go see Weezer, I have some good news for you! They’ll be playing at the Ambleside Music Festival on August 19th! It’s a two-day festival though, and you can’t get a single-day pass if you’re just in it for Weezer. It won’t be cheap. A two-day pass costs $219, and $356 for a VIP pass.

Personally, I’ll probably wait until it’s just them in concert as that is way too hefty of a price for a broke college student like me. I’m sure they’ll come back once they release another album. I’ll just be sitting here crossing my fingers, waiting patiently.

To butcher a quote from “Records,” I hear Weezer records in my head everywhere I go, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Weezer is an underrated band that is unfairly categorized as a “90s band.” I think they’ve proven that their 90s work is only a small part of what makes them great. They’ve entered their fourth decade as a touring band, and that’s an incredible accomplishment that shouldn’t be forgotten.

Tune into Evolution 107.9 to hear one of the great bands of the past 30 years!