Amy Millan @ Fox Cabaret -- October 20, 2025

It’s been a long time since Stars singer Amy Millan released a solo album — sixteen years between Masters Of The Burial and the new I Went To Find You — and just as long since I last saw her play a solo show! So I was very excited for her to bring the beautiful new record to the Fox Cabaret in Vancouver.

Especially with the opening act of Zoon. I hadn't seen the project of Daniel Monkman live before, so I was eager to catch them as they took the stage alone with an acoustic guitar, backed with some drum loops. They announced that for reasons, they would be platying all new material, going into a set full of shoegaze vibes (or ‘moccasin gaze’ as they once dubbed it) and dreamy vocals.

Early on they broke out a Casio digital guitar, joking that this may be the first time in history someone has paired one with a harmonica, and kept a loose energy for the set, chatting about the new songs before each, giving the backstory behind “Government Food Rations” and the final song of the set, “Fend For Yourself Friday”. It seemed like their set flew by & ended all too quickly, and I would definitely like to catch them again.

Not long after, the sultry tones of Emily Haines came over the speakers as the entrance music for Amy Millan, backed by Chris McCarron & Stefan Schneider. She kicked off with Borderline off the new album, for a set that wove through her three solo albums and more.

Early on, Amy (good naturedly) chastised the crowd to let us know this was not a “talking show” and thankfully everyone complied. The only one allowed to chat was Amy, as she effortlessly joked, told anecdotes, and bounced off the crowd to give the show a warm, intimate feel. Her unrivaled vocals drove the set, with highlights including “Kiss That Summer”, oddly fitting for a rainy fall Monday, the lilting “Baby I”, and shortly after a quick rant about embracing mistakes to oppose the emotionless of AI, she had a false start to the ethereal “Untethered”, proving her point perfectly.

Part way through, the band took a quick break for Amy to sing her Stars song “Ageless Beauty” with the crowd joining in, followed by her bandmate Torquil Campbell joining in for one of my favourite Stars tunes, “I Died So I Could Haunt You”, pouring their all as it was the first time they had performed it in over a decade.  

Before launching into “Don Valley”, Amy announced it would be their last song, with a big wink, and outright said she would be forgoing the encore ritual (thankfully!) before ending the set with the gorgeous classic “Skinny Boy”.

I Went To Find You has been one of my favourite albums so far this year, and this show was such a fun, lively evening. I can only hope it’s not another sixteen years until Amy Millan’s next solo show!

setlist
Borderline
Bury This
Kiss That Summer
Wire Walks
Baby I
Overpass
Untethered
Murmurations
Ageless Beauty
I Died So I Could Haunt You
Make Way for Waves
Old Perfume
Don Valley
Skinny Boy

Dust Cwaine @ Fox Cabaret -- October 02, 2025

Last week, Vancouver drag performer-slash-musician Dust Cwaine released their sophomore album, Twin Lakes, and last night, they celebrated with a release show at the Fox Cabaret. Before the show, Dust promised a night of music and drag — with a meticulous schedule posted before hand, which I very much appreciated!

At 8p sharp, the evening’s host Acacia took the stage to introduce the festivities (and roast Dust) as she set the stage for a drag performance from Nora Vision and a couple songs from pop singer Connor Nelson, who was joined by Dust for the second.

After Acacia did their own drag performance, it was time for Dust Cwaine. Clad in their signature makeup & poofy dress, they were joined by Dana Oikawa (Guitar), Banafshe (Synth), Iris Yakamyshyn (Drums), and Nora Vision (Bass) whose last show it was with the band.

With a screen behind the band featuring a slideshow of images from Cwaine’s present and past, they kicked off with the title track to the album, “Twin Lakes”, named for the small town Dust grew up, setting the tone of incredibly catchy indie pop-rock songs written about childhood trauma.

The album as a whole was informed by difficult memories and emotions from Dust’s past, though they were able to switch effortlessly from joking between songs and then delving into deep subject matter, like “Tiger Lily,” which Dust described as an imagined letter written from their own mother. Other highlights of the set including the infectious chorus of “Burn After Reading”, the frenetic energy of “The Acolyte”, and the joyous T4T love song “Little Plans”.

The album wrapped up with a pair of absolutely heart wrenching songs, “Jupiter” and “Take My Stories” which finished with a text message shown on screen behind them — Dust explaining it was the final text their father sent before passing away — as they were emotionally drained, sharing a big hug with the band to cap off the first half of the night.

That alone would have made for an great night, but after an intermission Dust was back on stage to put the “party” in Album Release Party. They dubbed the second half a jam session, inviting up a stream of guests — including Steph Wall, Stanza Lune, Meredith Louise, and more — to join on some older songs like the nostalgia dripping “90’s Darling” and the soaring “Aliens in LA”, before wrapping it up with a huge singalong of Enrique Iglesias’ “Hero”.

I hasn’t had a chance to see Dust Cwaine perform before last night, and this show felt like the perfect introduction!

setlist
[album]
Twin Lakes
Burn After Reading
Violent Heart
Brooklyn
The Acolyte
Interlude
Tiger Lily
Starman
Little Plans
Jupiter
Take My Stories
[jam session]
Arcana
Shot in the Dark [John Mayer cover]
90’s Darling
Aliens in LA
Hearts in Atlantis
Hero [Enrique Iglesias cover]

Art d'Ecco @ Fox Cabaret -- June 12, 2025

Earlier this year, Art d’Ecco dropped his latest album, Serene Demon, and since I (regretfully) missed the release show in Vancouver back in January, I was glad to catch him on his current tour as he hit the Fox Cabaret.

Unfortunately I got there after opener Dour, arriving not long before Art d’Ecco and his Demon Band hit the stage, all clad in black jackets (only half of which were leather), which included Evan Miller on guitar, Olivier Leclerc on bass, Malcolm Holt on drums, Hayden C on keys, and Kyler Young on saxophone.

They started off the set with the lead track on the album, the seductive “True Believer” then the sax-laden disco groove of “Tree Of Life”, and from there weaving through his catalogue of glam-pop tunes. Highlights included the dark, anthemic “TV God”, going back to his tresspasser album for “Who Is It Now?”, and the catchiest song about not joining a sex cult, “Palm Slave”.

Art stopped to chat with the audience a few times through the set, but mostly let his charisma do the talking. He strut and danced around stage with an effortless swagger, almost never still for more than a moment.

The set flew by as it seemed like no time at all before he closed out with a one-two punch of bangers; “Head Rush” and the band going all out for “Dark Days (Revisited)”. But of course he was back out for more, first with a cover of “Live It Up” by The Isley Brothers, and wrapping up the set with a “Midlife Crisis”.

It had been a minute since the last time I saw Art d’Ecco live (six years ago at Constellation festival!) so I was glad to have caught him at the Fox last night for a fun show!

setlist
True Believer
Tree Of Life
Only Ones
TV God
Survival Of The Fittest
I Feel Alive
Who Is It Now?
Sad Light Disco
Palm Slave
Head Rush
Dark Days (Revisited)
(encore)
Live It Up [The Isley Brothers cover]
Midlife Crisis

PHOTOS: Shred Kelly @ Fox Cabaret - May 09, 2025

Shred Kelly
Fox Cabaret
May 09, 2025

See Kirk’s review by clicking here.

Photos by Christine McAvoy

Shred Kelly @ Fox Cabaret -- May 09, 2025

For the past month, Fernie’s Shred Kelly has been all throughout the Pacific Northwest and BC on their One Day One Night Tour, along with Babes in Canyon. Last night they returned to Vancouver for a show at their “favourite venue in the city”, the Fox Cabaret.

I got there part way through the opening set from Seattle’s Babes in Canyon, catching the last few songs from Nathan Hamer and Amanda Ebert. The duo had an electo-folk sound, layering their sound with loops on songs like their recent single “The New Loud” and “High Tide”, which capped off their set. Even just the few songs I caught of them, they had a good dynamic and were a perfect fit to tour with Shred Kelly.

Thanks to the show’s curfew, it wasn’t long before the members of Shred Kelly took the stage; Sage McBride (keyboard) sharing vocals with Tim Newton (banjo & guitar) backed by Ty West (guitar) & Ryan Mildenberger (drums), joined by guest Jessie Robertson on bass. They started off with the slow burn of “Rowed Away” as the set built in intensity, exploding in a huge breakdown in “The Bear” and then the stormy “Tornado Alley”, an older favourite off their first album, Goodbye July.

From there the set spanned their career, from Tim’s fingers a blur over the banjo for “Didn’t Know” to the darker “Stuck Between”, where Sage’s vocals erupted off stage. Other highlights included “Roman Candle Eyes”, written for Tim & Sage’s daughter, and the haunting “Ghost Inside My Head”, before the set came to a chaotic finish with “Sing to the Night”.

But they still had time for one more, inviting Babes in Canyon back on stage to sing backups on their cover of Fleetwood Mac’s “Dreams”, the room singing along to the classic. I’ve long said that if there has to be an encore, it should involve fun covers and/or inviting guests (like the opening band) on stage for a collab, so this was a perfect encore for me.

From the first time I saw them, Shred Kelly has had an infectious energy when playing live; the fun they’re having playing radiates off stage throughout everyone dancing, clapping, and stomping along in any room. Last night was no different, with an incredibly fun show from the band.

setlist
Rowed Away
Archipelago 
Jupiter (Any Other Way)
The Bear
Tornado Alley
Roman Candle Eyes
Lost Without You
Take Me Home
Stuck Between
Didn’t Know
Another Place
Ghost Inside My Head
Sing to the Night
(encore)
Dreams [Fleetwood Mac cover]