The Trews @ Commodore Ballroom -- February 13, 2026

February 14, 2026 by Kirk Hamilton in live shows, Show Review

Over the years, I’ve seen Antigonish rockers The Trews a number of times, but somehow it’s been almost a full decade since they last time I caught them (and even that was a free Canada Day show!) So when they announced they’d be kicking off The Bloody Light Tour at the Commodore, celebrating the new album of the same name, I was eager to see them again.

I missed the opening band, Eddy and the Dirty Boys, but I quickly want to shout out whoever was doing the music, because the between-set playlist was full of 90s CanCon Alt Rock like Age of Electric, I Mother Earth, Wide Mouth Mason, and Sloan.

But soon enough the lights dimmed and The Trews took the stage, brothers Colin & John-Angus MacDonald, Jack Syperek, and Theo Mckibbon were joined by Jeff Heisholt on keys and occasionally Josh Macintosh taking over Colin’s guitar. They started off with “Manifest” from The Bloody Light, and alternated the set between songs off the new album and old favourites like “Tired of Waiting” which immediately had the crowd singing along.

From the heartfelt “Carolina” and “The Breakdown” bubbling with intensity, to the crowd living up to the name of “Sing Your Heart Out” and adding the ‘whoa-oh-ohs’ to “Hope & Ruin”, they spanned their vast catalogue over a two hour set. Other highlights included the manic “Paranoid Freak”, which Colin joked he was renaming to “The Realist” or “The Practical One” given everything since the song came out (dropping an unexpected reference to Bugonia), as well as the drinking shanty “Ishmael & Maggie” which saw the band wade through the crowd while everyone joined in on as they stood in the middle of the Ballroom’s bouncy floor.

Later in the set, they dedicated “Don’t Get Lost In The Dark” to BC and the people in Tumbler Ridge, and had everyone hold up their lights for “Highway of Heroes”, honouring everyone carried home.
Following that was a spotlight on Theo tearing up the drums, and John-Angus on guitar as he hopped off stage, went to the back of the room, up on the balcony, and around the other side, returning to the stage — all while shredding — before they played an old standard which transitioned into one of my faves, “Poor Ol’ Broken Hearted Me”.

The main set finished off with the incendiary “Hold Me in Your Arms”, but the band was almost immediately back out, inviting Eddy and the Dirty Boys to join in on “Endless Weekend”, before the perennial banger “Not Ready to Go”, and wrapping up the night with a cover of The Who’s “Won’t Get Fooled Again”, Colin giving his best Roger Daltrey Yeeaaaahhhhh

One thing I always loved about seeing The Trews live was their raw energy and passion that radiated off stage, and after two hours(!) at the Commodore, they still have that in spades for an incredible live show.

setlist
Manifest
Tired of Waiting
Get a Handle on It
So She’s Leaving
Carolina
Sing Your Heart Out
The Breakdown
Hope & Ruin
One Fine Night
Paranoid Freak
Ishmael & Maggie
The Bloody Light
I Can’t Stop Laughing
Don’t Get Lost In The Dark
Highway of Heroes
Poor Ol’ Broken Hearted Me
Hold Me in Your Arms
(encore)
Endless Weekend
Not Ready to Go
Won’t Get Fooled Again [The Who cover]

Big Sugar @ The Pearl -- February 06, 2026

February 07, 2026 by Kirk Hamilton in live shows, Show Review

In September of 1996, Big Sugar released their third album Hemi-Vision, and now they’re celebrating the 30th anniversary with a string of shows playing the acclaimed LP. It’s been a few years since I last saw the blues rock band, so I was excited to head down to a sold out Pearl.

With no opening act for the night, frontman Gordie Johnson took the stage joined by Anders Drerup on bass and Root Valach on drums, in front of a screen that flashed through some logos and artwork from the band over the years.

The first half of the night was Hemi-Vision in full, as they launched into the album’s killer three-track opening; the instantly recognisable riff of “Diggin’ a Hole”, “Opem Up Baby” which saw all three members of the band on harmonica, and “If I Had My Way” hitting like a punch to the chest. From there burst through the album, from the ripping breakdown of “Skull Ring” to the funky groove of “Joe Louis / Judgment Day” and the bluesy “Rolling Pin”, as the band proudly wore their influences on their collective sleeves.

They wrapped up the album with the longing “Gone for Good”, and that alone would have been a fun show. But after a short intermission (and wardrobe change) Big Sugar was back for a whole other hour, with banger after banger.

Kicking off with the rollicking “Three Minute Song” and the smooth groove of “Turn the Lights On”, off Heated, the second half of the show spanned the band’s illustrious catalogue, including more recent tunes like the title track to Calling All The Youth, and even a brand new one called “Planets”, that was dedicated to Ms. Johnson. Other highlights included the fiery “Nicotina (She’s All That)” and “Girl Watcher”, which saw Anders break out the saxophone.

After of my favourites, the classic Canadiana “All Hell for a Basement” they ended the set as they traditionally do, with an electric rendition of “O Canada” and a big maple leaf emblazoned on the screen behind them. But we still had a few minutes left before curfew, and the trio was quickly back out for one more, Gordie saying they were going back 500 Pounds or so with “Ride Like Hell” to cap off the night on a high.

Even slimmed down as a three-piece, Big Sugar remains one of the loudest bands I’ve seen live. The energy poured off stage, especially from Gordie as he expertly shred on guitar (including his signature double guitar), for an incredibly fun show celebrating a great album.

set two
Three Minute Song
Turn the Lights On
Eliminate Ya!
Nicotina (She's All That)
So Not Over
Better Get Used to It
Freedom Train
Calling All The Youth
Planets
Red Rover
Girl Watcher
All Hell for a Basement
O Canada
(Encore)
Ride Like Hell

set one
Diggin’ a Hole
Opem Up Baby
If I Had My Way
Tobacco Hand
La Stralla
Skull Ring
Joe Louis / Judgment Day
Tommy Johnson
Rolling Pin
Empty Head
Gone for Good

The Offspring @ Rogers Arena -- January 24, 2026

January 25, 2026 by Kirk Hamilton in live shows, Show Review

Admittedly, it's been quite some time since I last really listened to The Offspring. But when offered tickets to the Vancouver stop in their Supercharged Tour, I knew if I passed, my 12 year old self would be furious as Smash was a seminal album for me.

Unfortunately I wasn't able to get to Rogers Arena in time for Bad Religion, arriving as the intermission shenanigans were happening; a small Offspring blimp circling the crowd, as well as the video screen showing various spotlights for the crowd, like kiss cam, headbang cam, and booty cam.

But soon a countdown appeared in screen and “Thunderstruck” blast over the speakers, before The Offspring hit the stage, Dr. Dexter Holland and Noodles joined by Todd Morse on bass, drummer Brandon Pertzborn, and Jonah Nimoy on “everything”. They burst out of the gates with iconic riff of “Come Out and Play”, followed by the crazy “All I Want” and the tantalizing “Want You Bad”.

The stage included giant video board that alternated between showing the band and animated clips, as well as some ‘guests’ like giant, smoke breathing inflatable skeletons, as the punk band’s set weaved though their expansive career, from “Looking Out for #1” off their latest album Supercharged, back to Smash with “Bad Habit”, which had the entire arena joining in (especially on that verse).

Dexter and Noodles seemed to have tons of fun, and they joked with the crowd and each other, and slipped in a few covers with a Black Sabbath medley to honour Ozzy, as well as a bit of Ramones with “I Wanna Be Sedated”, and Noodles shredding the classic “In the Hall of the Mountain King”

Later in the set, a piano was brought out as Dexter played the heartfelt “Gone Away”, getting everyone to hold up a light for someone they lost, and then one last cover for the night in “Hey Jude”. The singing along continued with a couple more fun songs, “Why Don't You Get a Job?” and “Pretty Fly (for a White Guy)”, the former saw giant beach balls distributed through the crowd and the latter featured dancers in the iconic outfit, both human and wacky waving inflatable ones.

They wrapped up the main set with “The Kids Aren't Alright”, but were quickly back for a couple more, first “You’re Gonna Go Far, Kid”, and then one last chance for everyone to yell along with another classic favourite, “Self Esteem”.

I feel like there is always a risk when seeing an act you have such fond memories of, and I did have a quick shock & realisation of “oh, right, Dexter’s vocals aren’t going to be exactly as they were 30 years ago”. But The Offspring still rocks as hard as ever and I was immediately transported back with an incredibly fun show full of songs I still somehow remembered all the words to.

setlist
Come Out and Play
All I Want
Want You Bad
Looking Out for #1
Staring at the Sun
Hit That
Original prankster
Hammerhead
Make It All Right
Bad Habit
Electric Funeral / Paranoid / Crazy Train [Black Sabbath medley]
In the Hall of the Mountain King [Edvard Grieg cover]
I Wanna Be Sedated [The Ramones cover]
Gotta Get Away
Gone Away
Hey Jude [The Beatles cover]
Why Don't You Get a Job?
Pretty Fly (for a White Guy)
The Kids Aren’t Alright
(encore)
You’re Gonna Go Far, Kid
Self Esteem

jo passed @ The Pearl -- January 22, 2026

January 23, 2026 by Kirk Hamilton in live shows, Show Review

It’s been eight years since jo passed Their Prime, but after a tease with a single last year, Jo Hirabayashi (平林) is back with a brand new album as jo passed Away. And along with the new album comes a celebration — and tour kick-off — at The Pearl in Vancouver with some local pals.

First up on the night was Buddie, who were playing in front of a projection screen with a cute animation loop of a fish swimming though the ocean. They had a fuzzy, power-pop sound with catchy songs like “Golden” and the crunchy “Antarctica, 2005” from their latest album Glass, released a few months ago. The band blasted through some older songs, including the gritty “Ugly in the End”, before capping off the set with “In A Glass Shell”.
I hadn’t seen the Vancouver band before last night, and I’ll definitely have to keep an ear out for then again.

Babe Corner took the stage next, starting off (ironically) with the deep cut, “Fox Cabaret”. From there, they went into a set of their “babe-core” sound, including songs from their latest album Crybaby; “Summer Slaughter” with its infectious chorus, the breezy “Bianca”, and “Caught On The Double” which say Haley Blais taking over lead vocals for a bit.
They also hit a pair of singles released last year, with the dreamy combo of “I'm Like U” and “Feels Like”, and ultimately wrapped up with “Cigarette”, a song that never fails to get stuck in my head after hearing it live.
Early in the set, a (probably) drunk dude felt the need to let everyone know it was his 33rd birthday, yelling between a couple songs, but Lindsay Sjoberg handled it well, joking we should all head down the street to The Roxy after show.

But before that, it was time for jo passed to close out the night, kicking off with the first track off Away, the appropriately titled “BRB”. Jo continued through the new album with the jagged “Ico” and the chaotic buzz of “339”, an early favourite off the album.
After ‘side A’ of the album finished with “Dizzy Izzy”, Jo introduced the band and went into some older tracks, including “MDM”. Through the set, Jo didn’t say much, mostly thanking everyone for being there and quickly introducing songs; the one time he did try to talk more, about his trepidation for embarking on a tour through America right now, someone kept dismissively yelling “relax!” until he moved on (strange crowd last night, and that’s before even mentioning the people dancing/swaying/flailing in front of the stage all set!)
And finally, the all-too-short set wrapped up with the title track “Away” and chilled out “J Walking”, foregoing the encore routine, thankfully.

The last time I saw jo passed, it was during JunoFest last year and the sound at the venue was somewhat muddy, so it was good to see them again with a much better mix! Add on Babe Corner who is always a blast & a fun set from Buddie, and it was a great album release show.