Mae Martin @ Vogue Theatre -- June 13, 2025

You might know Mae Martin from their comedy career, the show Feel Good, the podcast Handsome, or even their appearance on Taskmaster. But earlier this year, Martin went back to a teenage love and released their first album I’m a TV, and the latest leg of the tour wrapped up with a show at the Vogue Theatre in Vancouver.

Opening the night was Vancouver’s own Ashleigh Ball, out on stage with just Dallas Bud backing her on guitar. Her signature flute in hand, she opened the set with “Tried to Tell You” before a couple new songs, the smooth “3am” and “Rosemary”, introduced with a story about the inspiration behind the song — a person she met at a silent retreat who did not quite understand the ‘silent’ part.
Throughout the set, Ball told storied behind some of the songs, including they Hey Ocean! tune “To The Sea” and the wild party that inspired the gorgeous & trippy song “Lavender” that capped off the set.

Not long after, Mae Martin took the stage, backed by Jason Couse and Wes Marskell (otherwise known as The Darcys, who also produced Mae’s album). They immediately launched in to “Big Bear”, Mae shredding on guitar, focusing on the album for the first half of the set, with songs like “Garbage Strike”, about the Toronto blackout of ‘03, and the breezy “Try Me”.

Mae was quick to tell the crowd how happy they were to be on stage, and how much of a dream come true it was. Throughout the set, Mae chatted & introduced songs with their slight awkward charm, and even the couple (small) flubs through the set were easy to overlook with their sheer enthusiasm radiating through the room.

Part way through the set, Jason and Wes took a break for Mae to grab a stool centre stage and dive into a few acoustic covers; a pair of Elliott Smith songs, as well as Half Moon Run, and a Third Eye Blind deep cut — accompanied by a story of Mae being starstruck when recently meeting singer Stephan Jenkins. Jason was back out to join on vocals for “People Get Back Up” before Wes returned as well, as Mae joked they wanted a bit more ‘millennial nostalgia’ with a cover of David Gray’s Babylon, which segued into the Third Eye Blind classic “How’s It Going to Be”.

After teasing a new song out later this month and the slow burn “No Cowboy”, Martin decided they didn’t want the night to end just yet. So they threw one one more song before the finish, another new one called “Kodak Film”, double checking if Jason and Wes knew it (they did not, but picked up on it so quick that if they hadn’t had that aside, I never would have known).

And finally, they wrapped up the set with “Brought Me Round”, Mae and the boys going all out for the finish to end the night, not bothering with the whole encore schtick (which I always appreciate).

I was really not sure what to expect from the show, but Mae’s enthusiasm & stage presence, combined with their heartfelt songs, and Jason & Wes backing them up made for a very fun night, with Ashleigh Ball opening being the proverbial cherry on top.

setlist
Big Bear
Stowaway
I Love You So Much
Try Me
Quiet Street
Garbage Strike
Pitseleh [Elliott Smith cover]
Unofferable [Half Moon Run cover]
Motorcycle Drive By [Third Eye Blind cover]
Pretty Mary K [Elliott Smith cover]
People Get Back Up
Babylon [David Gray cover]
How’s It Going to Be [Third Eye Blind cover]
Recent Hit
No Cowboy
Good Dream
Kodak Film
Brought Me Round

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

Rilo Kiley @ Commodore Ballroom -- May 21, 2025

Whenever the question of ‘bands you wish you could have seen live’ comes up, my immediate answer was always Rilo Kiley. Not only had I missed seeing them before they broke up, I’ve also somehow never seen any of Jenny Lewis’ solo projects (to my shame). So when the Los Angeles group announced their reunion last year for the Sometimes When You’re On You’re Really Fucking On tour, which included a show at the Commodore Ballroom, I was just a little excited.

Unfortunately due to prior commitments, I missed the opener Morgan Nagler, arriving to the sold out Commodore not long before Rilo Kiley hit the stage. Jenny Lewis, Blake Sennett, Pierre de Reeder, and Jason Boesel were joined by Harrison Whitford as they kicked off the set to raucous ovation with “The Execution of All Things” and from there spanned all of their albums.

From “Wires and Waves” off their debut Take Offs and Landings, to “Spectacular Views” building to a chaotic finish, and the slinky slow jam “The Moneymaker” from Under the Blacklight, their infectious indie rock full of intricate narratives blasted through the room. Jenny’s voice soared on “I Never”, while Blake took over lead vocals on “Ripchord”, as the band rocked out on songs like “It’s a Hit” (featuring guest trumpet from Orenda Fink) and the heartbreakingly beautiful “Does He Love You?”, Jenny accepted flowers from the front of the stage before the song erupted into a grand finish.

Collectively waiting for this moment for fifteen years, the crowd was locked in all night. People wildly cheered when recognising a song from a single note, I saw lots of hugging & crying around me, with tons of singing along as well; the best example being “With Arms Outstretched” as Lewis handed over the chorus to the audience. I could almost believe them when they gave the standard “this crowd is the best of the tour so far!”

After more singing to “A Better Son/Daughter” — which included the tour’s namesake lyrics — the room somehow came more unglued for “Portions for Foxes”. A favourite of mine (and many others judging by the volume of the punctuating “come here!” in the song) it was incredible to finally see live, as chills crept across my arms and a smile across my face.

That finished off the main set, but with the lights down and interstitial music playing, the band was back soon enough, starting off the encore with the heart wrenching “A Man/Me/Then Jim” once again featuring Fink on trumpet. Morgan Nadler made a quick cameo to provide some dance instructions to “The Frug”, and finally the band sent everyone home with “Pictures of Success”.

Going into a show like this, it’s easy to worry a little. Was I building this up in my head too much? Is this just a cash grab reunion? Questions like that. Thankfully, those were quickly answered with a show that felt simultaneously nostalgic and timeless, Rilo Kiley on top of their game and a crowd hungry for every note. I’m not sure if they have any more planned after the tour (beyond the greatest hits album they have out soon) but if it was just a one off and that was it, it was a hit.

setlist
The Execution of All Things
Wires and Waves
Spectacular Views
The Moneymaker
Dreamworld
I Never
Close Call
Paint’s Peeling
It's a Hit
Does He Love You?
Ripchord
Silver Lining
With Arms Outstretched
A Better Son/Daughter
Portions for Foxes
(encore)
A Man/Me/Then Jim
The Frug
Pictures of Success

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds @ Queen Elizabeth Theatre -- May 11, 2025

If you’ve followed this blog & me for any amount of time, you will probably know that one of my all time favourite musicians is Nick Cave, especially with his band The Bad Seeds, and especially their live show. Not to be too cheesy, but seeing them live is less a concert and more an experience, so when Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds returned to the Queen Elizabeth Theatre, on tour for their latest album Wild God, there was no chance I was going to miss it.

With no opening act, the show started as The Bad Seeds took the stage, including the four person ‘gospel choir’ (for lack of a better term), and started into “Frogs” from the new album. Nick Cave then strut out to grab the mic, and from there it was nearly three hours of intense, powerful emotions, spanning the band’s decades long career. Ranging from the bombastic title track “Wild God” to “O Children” which saw Warren Ellis let loose on violin (not for the last time that night) to older hits, “From Her to Eternity”, and even a couple of songs from his recent album with just Warren Ellis, like “Carnage”.

Cave also took a moment before each song for an introduction, often giving quick stories behind them, sometimes insights into the narrative — the character Bea from “Jubilee Street” popping up more than once — or even just prefacing it by calling it a “fucking amazing song” in the case of “Bright Horses”. When not behind the piano, he stalked the front of the stage, reaching to outstretched arms, singing at & to them, and even joking around a bit. When hit with a repeated request, he quipped “the more you yell that the less we’re likely to play it… but if you don’t yell it, we’ll never play it” and at one point stopping dead in his introduction to tell someone “I've seen your face on a dream”. During my fave off the new album, the stunning “Conversion” he even hopped off stage to wade through the crowd, among the seats, yelling to everyone “you’re beautiful!”

Late in the set, he broke out a couple perennial favourites, the sinister “Red Right Hand” followed with the frenetic “The Mercy Seat”, Ellis’ violin swirling to a chaotic ending, before capping the set off with “White Elephant”, a gorgeous singalong that saw the ‘choir’ come front and centre to shine.

But two hours of show wasn’t enough, as the audience was applauding wildly for more, and the band was happy to oblige; I’ve always been in awe of how much energy Cave & the Seeds have, pouring everything into each show. The encore included more classics, like “The Weeping Song”, a song in which to weep, and singer Janet Ramus taking lead on the murder ballad “Henry Lee”. After a version of “Shivers”, originally from Cave’s first band The Boys Next Door & in tribute to Rowland Howard, the Bad Seeds took their leave and Cave ended with one final song alone on the piano, a big favourite of mine, the heart wrenching “Into My Arms”, and the crowd softly singing along to the chorus.

Among the magnificent stage setup at the QE was a giant screen that would sometimes show members of the band, but occasionally display lyrics. During “Joy”, the title flashed large on screen, and I can’t think of a better one word encapsulation of the show.

setlist
Frogs
Wild God
Song of the Lake
O Children
Jubilee Street
From Her to Eternity
Long Dark Night
Cinnamon Horses
Tupelo
Conversion
Bright Horses
Joy
I Need You
Carnage
Final Rescue Attempt
Red Right Hand
The Mercy Seat
White Elephant
(encore)
Papa Won't Leave You, Henry
The Weeping Song
Henry Lee
Shivers
Into arms

Godspeed You! Black Emperor @ Vogue Theatre -- May 10, 2025

I’m not entirely sure how it’s happened, but somehow, I have never seen Godspeed You! Black Emperor live. So I was very happy to finally change that as the band hit Vancouver for a pair of shows at the Vogue theatre in support of their latest album, “NO TITLE AS OF 13 FEBRUARY 2024 28,340 DEAD” (the title referring to the reported number of Palestinian deaths by Israeli strikes from October 7th, 2023 until February 13th, during the Gaza war, according to the Gaza Health Ministry).

Opening the night was Mat Ball, who I just caught the tail end of. Mat was on stage alone with a single spotlight illuminating him, as he played his experimental instrumentals, guitar feeding back as he played with loops and feedback. The songs reverberated through the room, even vibrating through the floor and up your legs, as he was a great opener to set the scene for the evening.

Then at 9pm sharp, lights dimmed and a drone hummed over the speakers, as one by one, the eight members of Godspeed You! Black Emperor took the stage. They each joined in on “Hope Drone” — the improvisational song that opens every show — as the big projection screen behind them flickered to life. 

From there, the Montreal group played for a solid two hours, barely pausing as one song transitioned into the next, the set ebbing and flowing as emotions washed over the sold out crowd. Fuzzy guitars, cacophonous drums, and beautiful strings melded together on songs like “BABYS IN A THUNDERCLOUD” which starts sombre then builds to a hopeful finish, the contemplative pall of “PALE SPECTATOR”, and the anxiety inducing “Cliffs Gaze” as the song frantically drives to its climax.

The stage was only lit with a single row of lights, staying dim all night to give the band a faint glow as all the attention was drawn to the screen behind them. It flashed and looped with 16mm images & short clips to matching the mood; from grainy cityscapes to rural farmland; beautiful scenery covered in snow to frantic flashes of the stock market; serene nature to raging infernos. And even shrouded in darkness, without saying a single word — the only ‘vocals’ were a couple prerecorded clips between songs — the entire room was rapt, not making a sound until a song came to a finish, then bursting with thunderous applause. 

The set came to a close with the chaotic “Mladic”, simultaneously giving me chills and causing a smile to involuntarily creep across my face. And just like they arrived, the band wordlessly left one by one, leaving reverb & flickering film reel, the crowd still silent until the final note faded. 

Halfway through the show, I happened to see the time and was shocked that only an hour had passed. Not in a bad ‘this is a slog’ way, more like the band had the ability to control time itself, slowing everything down to soak it all in. Had they wrapped up after just that hour, it would have been a good set. But they still had more to give, the crowd was happy to hear it, and the show more than lived up to the expectations I had.

setlist
Hope Drone
SUN IS A HOLE SUN IS VAPORS
BABYS IN A THUNDERCLOUD
RAINDROPS CAST IN LEAD
Fire at Static Valley
PALE SPECTATOR / GREY RUBBLE
Cliffs Gaze
Mladic