Author Archives: Domenique Richard

The Jonas Brothers Performing at the 2024 Grey Cup Halftime Show at BC Place

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That’s right! The Jonas Brothers will be performing at the 2024 Grey Cup halftime show at BC Place on November 17th, just less than a month away! On October 16th, two days ago, they ended their Five Albums. One Night. World Tour, which may I add I was lucky to see part of this show while I was working it last year at Rogers Arena! The Jonas Brothers were one of my favourite bands when I was younger, so I am beyond excited that they will be back in Vancouver in less than a month.

What is the Grey Cup

So, what exactly is the Grey Cup? The Grey Cup is both the name of the Canadian Football League, (CFL), championship and the trophy the winning team is awarded. It is a huge sporting event in Canada with an audience of about 4 million every year. Last year the Grey Cup was held in Hamilton at the Tim Hortons Field.

This year the Grey Cup is coming to Vancouver and just like the Super Bowl, the Grey Cup has its own halftime show every year.

I have been a fan of the Jonas Brothers for as long as I can remember. From their Camp Rock days to their most recent album, The Album, I can definitely call myself a Jonas Brothers fangirly. I saw them perform live in 2019 on their Happiness Begins Tour, the first tour after the band got back together after splitting up in 2013. This concert was very memorable to me as it was the last pre-covid concert I attended, and after seeing this show I didn’t attend another concert again until 2023.

The Jonas Brothers have lots of great hits, which to me are childhood classics. From their 2007 debut album to their most recent 2023 album The Album, they have a wide range of discography, and I believe they have music for everyone. Some of my favourite songs include “Shelf” and “Sorry” from their 2008 album A Little Bit Longer, and “Rollercoaster” from their 2019 album Happiness Begins.

So be sure to tune in to the Grey Cup on November 17th at 3:00 pm (PST). You will get to watch an exciting game and get an at-home concert all in one! And may I just add I am beyond jealous of my dad and sister who will be attending the game and watching the Jonas Brothers perform live. There are still some upper bowl tickets available, so for anyone interested, you can check them out here. Well, I can’t wait to see what the Jonas Brothers have prepared for their halftime performance, and most importantly, GO LIONS GO!

November Shows at Rogers Arena

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With October almost coming to an end, (sadly ☹), it’s time to talk about some of the upcoming shows happening next month at Rogers Arena! November is going to be a busy month with some insane concerts you will not want to miss! So, here’s what’s happening.

November 7th and 8th – Usher: Past Present Future Tour

Starting off with the concert I am most excited for… Usher is coming to Vancouver for two nights for his Past Present Future tour! I will be attending night two of this show and I cannot wait! Now I won’t go too into detail about this one as I wrote a separate article about this concert which you can check out here. 😀

November 15th – Arkells: Big Feelings Tour

A week after Usher, the alt/indie rock band Arkells will be in Vancouver for their Big Feelings tour. Arkells is actually a Canadian rock band from Hamilton, Ontario! Some of their songs include “You Can Get It”, “Past Life”, and “11:11”. Unlike most bigger artists, the Arkells have lots of Canadian dates on this tour and will also be performing in Kelowna and Victoria. You gotta respect any artist that tours all over Canada, extremely uncommon these days.

November 20th – Zach Bryan: The Quittin Time Tour

And for all my Vancouver country fans out there, Zach Bryans highly anticipated Quittin Time Tour will be coming to Rogers Arena on the 20th. I’m not personally a huge country fan, however, I’ve heard a lot of Bryans music on TikTok recently and it’s pretty good even to a noncountry fan. Some of his hits include “I Remember Everything”, “Revival”, and “Pink Skies”.

https://www.tiktok.com/@topsify/video/7403028265138539819?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc&web_id=7425008011981227526

November 22nd – Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band

And finally, after being postponed two times, Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band will be performing on the 22nd (if it doesn’t get postponed again…) I’m kidding I won’t jinx it. Bruce Springsteen is one of the world’s best-selling artists winning 20 Grammy awards! He has lots of hits including “Dancing in the Dark”, I know you’ve all heard that one, “Streets of Philadelphia”, “Born in the U.S.A.” and many more.

Well, that’s it for next month, definitely a packed month for sure! For more details and information about any of the November shows, click here. And for any concertgoers out there or anyone interested in keeping up to date and being the first to hear about upcoming concerts, shows etc. at Rogers Arena, I’d recommend following Rogers Arena on Instagram. They’re pretty active and are always updating their page with the most recent upcoming events. You can also check their stories for details and links to tickets, merch preorder and more!

 

Happy concert season!

The Gillnetter Pub in Port Coquitlam Celebrates Halloween with Live Music

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It’s almost Halloweekend! Yes, my favourite time of the year is just around the corner, and what better way to celebrate than a fun night out with drinks and live music? If you’re still undecided about how to spend your Halloween and need some ideas of where to go, the Gilly Halloween Party is happening at the Gillnetter Pub on October 26th. Only one week away!

As someone who doesn’t live downtown, I’m always on the hunt for bars and pubs that are a little more accessible to get to from where I am. Living an hour’s transit journey away from Vancouver isn’t ideal, however, there are still lots of great bars and pubs nearby that offer a good time and are closer and easier to get to, starting with the Gillnetter.

On October 26th at 8:00 PM, the Cursed Cabaret will be performing live at the Gillnetter. The Cursed Cabaret is a new band based in Maple Ridge. They play lots of covers as well as originals, and their music ranges from indie to country to straight rock. So, I can guarantee they will play songs that you will love! The band consists of three members currently, Logan Cade (guitarist and frontman), Yannis (bass), and Roy Rodgers (drummer). The band was founded by lead vocalist Logan Cade earlier this year. They also play at The Fort Pub at 7:00 every Friday. So, if you find yourself at the Gillnetter on the 26th and end up loving them, you can always catch them at the Fort which is located in Fort Langley.

The Gillnetter is located at 1864 Argue Street in Port Coquitlam, so if you live anywhere around the Tri-Cities, it is definitely a good accessible option to add to your Halloweekend itinerary! With live music and lots of dancing, they will also be offering two $100 prizes for the best individual costume and the best couple costume, so be sure to dress up! As well, there will also be some food and drink specials for the spooky season. I saw an Instagram story earlier of their pumpkin spice martini and it looked insane!

So, grab your friends, get your most creative costume ready, and bring your dancing shoes! You will not want to miss this exciting night of live music and Halloween fun. For more information, you can check out the Gillnetter on Facebook or Instagram and click here to see their menu.

Well, I hope everyone has a fantastic halloweekend! Stay safe and have fun!

 

Happy Halloween!

Sabrina Carpenter: Short N’ Sweet Tour Coming to the Pacific Coliseum

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That’s right, the “Espresso” superstar, Sabrina Carpenter, is coming to the Pacific Coliseum on November 4th for her Short N’ Sweet Tour. This highly anticipated tour is in support of her sixth studio album Short n’ Sweet. The album includes hits such as “Taste”, “Please Please Please” and many others!

Carpenter was recently on tour for her previous Emails I Can’t Send tour last year, where she performed at the PNE Forum, and now she’s back at a venue more than 4 times the capacity! She has had massive success this year with her recent album and has been all over social media with her adorable outfits and iconic curtain bangs.

I am absolutely obsessed with everything about this tour, the videos that have been flooding my for you page on TikTok are making me wish I had bought tickets to see her. The set is incredible, and the entire show is a whole production from the set to the dancers to every single one of her iconic outfits.

@madzbrina

Her cute lil run ahes soo funny Video:@Erin #sabrinacarpenter #fyp #blowthisup #viraltiktok #artist #shortnsweet #tour #espresso @Sabrina Carpenter @Team Sabrina

♬ original sound – naya

I remember Sabrina Carpenter from her Disney Channel days where she starred in the iconic series Girl Meets World. Now she is becoming our generation’s next big popstar. Her hit singles “Because I Liked A Boy”, “Feather”, “Nonsense” and others have contributed to her massive success.

The Short n’ Sweet Tour kicked off on September 23rd in Columbus and will continue until 2025. Declan McKenna will be the opening act for the Vancouver show. McKenna is an alternative/indie singer-songwriter from London. Some of his songs include “Brazil”, “Why Do You Feel So Down”, and “Sympathy”.

So, what can Vancouver fans expect from this show? Well definitely not just any ordinary concert! No, Sabrina Carpenter is putting her all into this production, even from seeing videos of just the intro alone online, I think it’s a given that she will put on a spectacular performance. I am looking forward to seeing all the Instagram stories and TikToks that I’m sure will be flooding my feed. And let me also add that this concert is up there for the fans having some of the best outfits I have seen on any recent tour. And for anyone who wasn’t able to attend this concert, if you’re looking for some fun live music events for next month, the Pacific Coliseum has lots of other upcoming events throughout the rest of this month and November. Click here for more details.

Concert Debrief 1: Don Toliver Psycho Tour

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Ok, I know I’m not the only one who woke up this morning to all the Instagram stories from the Don Toliver concert that happened last night. When I say every other story was someone posting from this concert, I’m not joking. It looked like a blast, and though I can’t say I’m a big fan, hence the reason I wasn’t there, I always enjoy a good concert debrief so let’s talk about it.

Concert debriefs are something I started with my co-workers and my sister who I’m not joking goes to every single concert in the city. When I was working concerts at Rogers Arena last year, my favourite thing was at the end of the night when the event was over, I got to debrief with my co-workers about how the night went down. As I’m sure you can imagine I got to hear lots of hilarious stories from the hosts about all things from the fans, to fights, to the actual artist and the show itself.

Don Toliver took the stage at Rogers Arena last night for his Psycho Tour where he performed hits from his fourth studio album HARDSTONE PSYCHO such as “KRYPTONITE” and “TORE UP”, and even played rapper Travis Scott’s iconic “FE!N” after the crowd chanted for him to play it. He really gave the crowd what they wanted and kept the audience hyped all night. Molly Santana, Monaleo, and Ski Mask The Slump God were also in the building last night as the openers for the show. All three brought out the energy and got the crowd ready for Toliver’s performance.

@.dailyconcerts

they did him weong with the floor capacity whys it so empty tffff #dontoliver #psychotour #dailyconcerts

♬ original sound – dailyconcerts

From the videos I saw, the crowd was going crazy and it looked like a wild night. From the lights to the fire effects, Toliver put on what looked like an insane show for his Vancouver fans. And can I also just add, the fans looked great, and I saw some killer concert fits from baggy jeans to leather jackets.

Although I didn’t attend this show, I got to live vicariously through all the TikTok’s and Instagram stories, so I feel like I can say I saw the whole concert live through my phone. For anyone who missed this one, Rogers Arena still have a few concerts coming up this month that you won’t want to miss! You can check them out here. Be sure to keep following along to hear about more live music events happening in the city and of course, lots more concert debriefs!

Candlelight Concerts in Vancouver

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It’s finally spooky season, and I don’t know about you, but October is my favourite time of year. I love all things Halloween and fall. Visiting the pumpkin patch, apple barn, and haunted houses are all activities that are on my October bucket list every year. But have you ever thought about how cool it would be to add a spooky concert to your fall itinerary? Well, now you can with Candlelight Halloween Concerts.

I was scrolling on TikTok one day when I came across an ad for Candlelight Concerts, and I was immediately intrigued. I mean essentially these are my two favourite things: Halloween and concerts! I started doing some research on this musical ghostly show to share with you all, and here’s what I found.

When you enter a Candlelight Concert, which by the way this event isn’t just exclusive to Vancouver, but these concerts take place worldwide! You will literally be surrounded by thousands of candles, and not the Bath and Body Works kind, these are the type of candles you’d find in some type of haunted house if you know what I mean. This concert is like no other, you’ll hear some Halloween hits and other ghoulie tunes from Psycho, The Addams Family, and my personal all-time favourite TV show Stranger Things – I was personally very excited about this one, and some others.

As well, you will also hear some classical pieces from musicians like Mozart, Bach, and Chopin. And the most iconic part of these concerts is where they take place. Candlelight Concerts aren’t held at your typical concert venue, you’ll find yourself sitting in old churches and cathedrals like Christ Church Cathedral located at 690 Burrard St, Vancouver. This specific cathedral opened in 1895, so you can bet this concert will bring all the spooky vibes.

So, if you want to get into the Halloween spirit, there are lots of Candlelight events coming up all across BC. Tickets are pretty reasonable starting at around $40 and for those of you who don’t live close to Vancouver, you’re in luck! There are lots of Candlelight Concerts happening all over the Lower Mainland, click here for more details and to see locations.

Be sure to check out this haunted musical experience (if you dare), I can guarantee if you love all things horror and enjoy listening to live music, you will not want to miss this exciting event!

 

… Happy Halloween!

The Blarney Stone in Gastown

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Looking for a fun night out in the town, with live music and lots of dancing? I’m here to tell you all about the Blarney Stone, located in the heart of Gastown, the Blarney Stone is the ultimate destination for all things Irish.

Whether you’re in the mood for some Irish-inspired food, entertainment or just an overall good time, you have got to check this pub out.

The Blarney Stone is open from 11:00 am – 2:00 am Sunday through Thursday, and 11:00 am – 3:00 am Friday and Saturday, and they always provide a fun time with live music. Est. in 1972, this pub is the oldest Irish pub in the city.

I have only visited the Blarney Stone once; however, I definitely need to go back as it was a blast. I can guarantee that you’ll have an entertaining and lively night here. Unlike other pubs and clubs in the city, the Blarney Stone has live music weekly for you to enjoy.

Meet the Blarney Stone bands:

The Sheets

Every Friday, from 10:00 pm, you can see The Sheets perform live at the Blarney Stone. This young, energetic cover band perform a wide range of musical genres such as Celtic, pop, rock and more! No matter what your top genre is, they will always perform hits that you love.

The Shenanigans

And if you’re more of the stay-in Friday night, go-out Saturday type, don’t worry! The Shenanigans perform every Saturday from 10:00 pm. The Blarney Stone house band has been performing here for 12 years! This band has something for everyone from Celtic to dance music to rock. They perform covers of all your favourite songs that will get you moving and grooving!

And to top it all off, the Blarney Stone has an incredible menu with Irish classics such as Sheppard’s pie, bangers and mash, and many more traditional Irish cuisines. And of course, you’ll find Guinness here if you’re in the mood for some drinks.

So next time you’re looking for someplace new to go for your next night out, grab your friends, bring your dancing shoes and hit up the Blarney Stone! You will have the time of your life dancing the night away while listening to some fabulous live music performed right in front of you by two local bands. For more information and details check out the Blarney Stone website here. It has all the information you need as well as some fun upcoming events you will not want to miss out on!

Vancouver Symphony Orchestra – Upcoming Concerts & Events

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Have you heard of the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra? More commonly known as the VSO for short. I remember going to some VSO concerts as a kid and let me tell you I don’t particularly love classical music; however, the VSO has never failed to put on an incredible show.

Revolution: The Music of The Beatles

If you’re looking for some last-minute entertainment to start your long weekend, tonight, the VSO presents their second night of Revolution. This symphonic tribute to one of the most iconic bands of all time will transport the audience back in time to the ‘60s. You’ll hear orchestral versions of some hit Beatles songs such as “Here Comes the Sun”, “All You Need Is Love”, and many others. This concert will be held at the Orpheum, you will not want to miss it! Check out tickets here.

Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back

Have you ever thought about watching your favourite movie and the entire soundtrack being performed right in front of you live? Coming up at the beginning of next month, November 1st and 2nd, you will not want to miss this movie night with the VSO. Movie Nights with the VSO are live events where you get to watch iconic films on the big screen accompanied by the VSO playing the soundtrack right in front of you. Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back is an iconic film with a notable score. Even if you’re not a huge Star Wars fan like me, many can definitely appreciate its illustrious music. This event will also be held at the Orpheum. Check out tickets here.

Gene Kelly: A Life in Music

And last but not least, calling all musical lovers, coming up on November 15th and 16th, you can experience the music from Gene Kelly’s iconic films such as Singin’ in the Rain, Brigadoon, and many more! This concert is like no other, the VSO plays the music live as you get to watch Gene Kelly sing and dance in scenes from some of his movies. This will definitely be a fun one for sure, and I can guarantee you’ll be singing and dancing all night long! This concert will also be playing at the Orpheum. Check out tickets here.

These are just a few of the many VSO concerts coming up. The VSO always have lots of live events happening and there is something for everyone. The VSO performs over 150 concerts a year, from ‘60s classics to your favourite iconic films, to uplifting musicals, I can guarantee the VSO will have a show with music that you love. To discover more VSO concerts, click here, you definitely should go check them out!

My Love-Hate Relationship with the BC Music Scene

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Ok, it’s time we discuss something that I complain about probably every other day as an avid concertgoer and someone who loves both the entertainment and music industry. My absolute biggest pet peeve ever is when one of my favourite artists announces a tour, then I’ll get all excited only to find out that their “North American Tour” includes like 50 US dates and 1 Canadian date. And it’s always Toronto!

Now I know Vancouver gets its fair share of concerts, and compared to other Canadian cities we do get a reasonable amount of artists who do decide to tour here, however, it just seems like Toronto and Montreal get absolutely everything.

I can think of countless occasions where I have been all excited about an artist announcing a tour, only to find out that the closest option to see them is in Seattle. Now don’t get me wrong I love a little road trip moment, but sometimes I just want the convenience of a quick 30-minute drive to Rogers Arena. An example of this happening to me recently is my sister and I deciding we wanted to go see Charli XCX and Troye Sivan’s iconic SWEAT tour, but someone tell me why they aren’t coming to Vancouver. You could call us brats, but personally finding that information out sent us into the sulks. ☹

Of course, we still decided to get tickets for their Seattle show, but would it have killed them to make a quick little stop in Vancouver for one night? I’m just kidding I love them both and am beyond excited to see this concert. It is also perfect timing as the Seattle show happens to be the closing night of the tour and it falls only a few days after my 20th birthday, so a great addition to my now extended birthday weekend.

Earlier this year I surprised my dad with tickets to see his all-time favourite artist, Dwight Yoakam and his favourite band The Mavericks. The “Guitars & Cadillacs” country singer-songwriter, and the “What a Crying Shame” Miami-based band were going on a joint tour, so I thought tickets to their show would be the perfect birthday present for him. I bet you can’t guess where this concert was… hint, not Vancouver! That’s right, the closest city they were touring in was Everett. I’m sorry but of all places Everett? In my mind, Everett is an irrelevant city not far from Alderwood, a mall all Canadians cross the border to go to when they don’t feel like driving down to Seattle. I could not name anything else important or relevant in Everett, no offence.

Of course, I do love Vancouver and all it offers entertainment and music wise. I feel like I can’t even complain too much, I mean I was the one who decided to move back from Toronto two years ago. As much as I do wish we didn’t miss out on some of the exciting tours and concerts, BC’s music scene does have a lot to offer and as someone who has worked in the event industry for over a year now, I have learned about so many new incredible artists who I didn’t even know existed before. I have my job and co-workers to thank for that 😀. If you are looking for something fun coming up, here is a list of some of the exciting concerts and live music events coming to Vancouver in the upcoming months. You will definitely not want to miss them!

Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour is coming to BC Place

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The highly anticipated Eras Tour is coming to Vancouver in just a few months. Superstar, Taylor Swift will be taking the stage at BC Place, the largest venue in the city on December 6th, 7th, and 8th.

That’s right, we get her for three nights! Now I’m not much of a Swiftie myself, mainly because I don’t love a lot of her newer discography, but that doesn’t change the fact that I can definitely appreciate her tour. I mean it is the highest-grossing tour to date with a revenue of over $1 billion… pretty impressive if you ask me.

The Midnights pop star has created a legacy for herself and has impacted the world with her music and incredible success. I remember being in elementary school when Swift dropped her iconic 1989 album, which included some gems such as “Blank Space”, “Shake It Off”, and “Style”. This is my personal favourite Taylor Swift album, and ok fine, maybe I’m being biased because I did actually go to this tour. In August of 2015, almost 10 years ago, I attended Swifts 1989 world tour in Vancouver at BC Place. I don’t remember much because I was pretty young at the time, but I do remember she put on an excellent show. And to be able to say I’ve seen Taylor live is something that should go on my resume in this generation. It was also pretty iconic that I attended this tour, as 1989 is her best-selling album selling over 14 million copies worldwide!

Now what can Vancouver Swifties expect from the tour coming this December? Well, I’m sure we have all seen the videos on TikTok, Instagram etc. of Taylor performing on her Eras Tour, so I’m sure the show will be pretty similar to how it looks online. I’m not personally going to be at this concert, I felt it was only right to sit this one out and save the tickets for the real die-hard fans, which I unfortunately am not. However, I do hope for the sake of all the Swifties attending, that this show is all it is hyped up to be. I do feel like it would be cool if she performed some Christmas classics as her Vancouver dates fall right into the holiday season. She does have her 2008 Christmas album The Taylor Swift Holiday Collection, which includes classics such as “Silent Night”, “White Christmas” and some others. And let’s not forget about her iconic single “Christmas Tree Farm”. A fun Christmas number with a snow machine and a sparkly holiday-inspired outfit would be a fun little added extra for her Vancouver shows.

Well, I am looking forward to hearing the concert debrief from my friends who are going, and for those of us who are not, we can live vicariously through the hundreds of Instagram and Snapchat stories. I am also interested to see what her surprise song is going to be. When she came to Seattle last year she performed “Tied Together With a Smile” and “Message In A Bottle” as her surprise songs. For anyone planning on making their way downtown between December 6th and 8th, I’d suggest you go anywhere else that’s not downtown Vancouver unless you want to get trampled in sequins and glitter.