Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»is one of the luckiest cities in Canada when it comes to touring musical acts.
For many big performers, it makes sense to stop here when many other places in Canada get overlooked; often Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»and Toronto are the only Canadian dates on an international tour.
On top of that, it's a major centre for Canadian bands crisscrossing the country. It makes no sense to head west and not stop here.
There are lots of options to go out and see live bands and artists perform on local stages, from smaller spots, like the Hollywood Theatre or Rickshaw, all the way to BC Place.
So here's V.I.A.'s guide to the best and most notable concerts set to come through Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»in summer 2025.
If you see Wolfhard's name and think of the kid in season one of Stranger Things (where he stars as Mike Wheeler), be aware that he's 22 now, and has been playing music for the better part of a decade.
Just a few days ago, he released his first solo album (previously he'd played in bands Calpurnia and The Aubreys). Happy Birthday has, so far, received pretty positive reviews from fans of the .
He's on a short tour now on the west coast of North America with jazzy indie rock trip ; it ends with a pair of dates in Vancouver.
When: June 12 and 13. Doors at 7 p.m.
Where: The Rickshaw - 254 E Hastings St
Cost:
5X Blockparty
Vancouver's annual 5X Fest returns to Surrey with several events, including the flagship Blockparty.
Featuring top Punjabi acts from Canada and abroad, the stage will host Talwiinder, Gminxr, and G Sidhu and more.
The festival began as a celebration of bhangra, but organizers say it has evolved into "a global movement rooted in community, creativity, and cultural pride."
When: June 14. Gates open at 4 p.m.
Where: Surrey Civic Plaza - 13450 104 Ave
Cost: / VIP $100. .
OK Go may be best known for their , but over more than 25 years together the band has put together a solid catalogue of punchy indie pop rock.
They've just released a fifth studio album, And the Adjacent Possible; the current North American leg to support the album ends with a pair of shows in Vancouver.
Along for the two Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»shows is a local: Steve Bays, of Hot, Hot, Heat and Mounties, among other projects.
When: June 21 and 22. Doors at 7 p.m.
Where: The Commodore Ballroom - 868 Granville St
Cost: $
Most of the time a band plays two shows in the city, and each show is similar.
That's not the case here, so make sure to pick the right night.
The first night will be a special performance of two Pixies albums in full: Bossanova and Trompe le Monde. In the past they've played the entirety of Doolittle in full.
The band is playing a on night two (June 27) with Kurt Vile opening.
When: June 26 and 27. Doors at 8 p.m.
Where: The Orpheum - 884 Granville St
Cost: Tickets for night one and (almost all available tickets are resale).
The of Wavves from Southern California in the middle of Vancouver's summer, which seems like a fitting time to see the band fronted by Nathan Williams.
The night will be full of surf rock vibes with Beach Goons and Death Lens also on the bill.
When: June 28. Doors at 7 p.m.
Where: The Pearl - 881 Granville St
Cost:
Wu-Tang Forever: The Final Chamber
are on their final tour. The legendary New York crew are one of the most influential rap groups of all time and pop culture icons with hits, spin-off projects, film careers, and a video game.
To open for the Wu, a big name was needed, and they pulled Run The Jewels; the duo features El-P and recent Grammy winner Killer Mike.
When: June 30. Gates at 8 p.m.
Where: Rogers Arena - 800 Griffiths Way
Cost:
Fvded in the Park
One of Metro Vancouver's biggest music festivals, Fvded in the Park has more than 60 artists lined up.
Big-name acts include Zedd and Tiesto, who are headlining each day, along with Kaytranada, Disclosure, Loud Luxury, Black Tiger Sex Machine, and Subtronics.
Now bigger than ever, a fourth stage is being added to the festival grounds in Surrey.
When: July 4 and 5. Opens at 2 p.m.
Where: Holland Park - 13428 Old Yale Rd, Surrey
Cost: just over $200 while a two-day pass is $373.
The , made up of brothers and cousins, returns to Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»with some very danceable rock, continuing the desert blues style that's been simmering for a while now.
Knowledge of Tamasheq (the language they sing in) is not needed; just enjoy the joy of the band's energy.
When: July 5. Doors at 8 p.m.
Where: The Pearl - 881 Granville St
Cost:
The genre of Afro-Appalachian folk artist may include a single person: Mon Rovia.
Born in Liberia and raised in the U.S., he's offering up over soothing acoustic guitars and ukulele, creating delicate, calm moments. He sounds like something that'd fit in on the Garden State soundtrack between Iron and Wine and Collin Hay.
When: July 7. Doors at 7 p.m.
Where: The Commodore Ballroom - 868 Granville St
Cost:
Tom Morello
While Rage Against the Machine doesn't tour anymore (they were supposed to play a show in Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»but the COVID-19 pandemic delayed it, and then the band disbanded), Tom Morello is still touring with .
In bands since he was 13, Morello is considered by many to be a top-tier guitarist, with magazines including Rolling Stone, Guitar World, and Spin ranking him as one of the all-time greats.
When: July 11. Doors at 7 p.m.
Where: The Commodore Ballroom - 868 Granville St
Cost:
The Weeknd: After Hours Til Dawn
The Canadian pop star returns to Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»for a pair of shows at BC Place on July 15 and 16.
The After Hours Til Dawn tour is The Weeknd's ongoing tour which was supposed to launch in Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»in 2020. However, due to the pandemic, it was delayed a couple of times. Eventually, the tour arrived in Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»in 2022.
Its return to the city this summer is part of a new North American leg. It will include a new set list, including new songs from his 2025 release, Hurry Up Tomorrow. That album charted at number one in Canada, and featured the song Timeless from The Weeknd and Playboi Carti, who will open for The Weeknd in Vancouver.
Hurry Up Tomorrow was actually the companion album that came out earlier this year, which The Weeknd co-wrote, produced, and starred in.
When: July 15 and 16. Gates open 7 p.m.
Where: BC Place - 777 Pacific Blvd
: Tickets start at $96.60 (plus additional fees and taxes)
Katy Perry: The Lifetimes Tour
Whether you're a long-time Katy Perry fan or interested in seeing how the concert is IRL after early shows went viral, Perry's trip to Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»will provide a spectacle.
The tour promises a bit of a retrospective set list, with a handful of new songs.
Opening for Perry in Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»is Rebecca Black, who went viral for her song . The song was the butt of many jokes, but Black remained in the music industry. While she hasn't charted in Canada since Friday, she's released a couple of albums over the last few years to mixed reviews.
When: July 22. Gates at 7 p.m.
Where: Rogers Arena - 800 Griffiths Way
Cost: Resale
Paul Simon
Singer-songwriter Paul Simon has been an icon for decades, first as one half of Simon and Garfunkel, putting out massive hits including "Mrs. Robinson," "The Sound of Silence," and "The Boxer."
He then went on to a huge solo career, producing hits like "You Can Call Me Al," "Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard," and "Graceland."
Now in his 80s, he's still putting out music; in 2023 his was nominated for a Grammy (it lost to Joni Mitchell live at Newport).
The 83-year-old is going on tour to play the 33-minute album in its entirety, along with past hits. Due to hearing loss, Simon had to have a special stage set up designed for this tour.
When: July 25, 26 and 28. Doors at 8 p.m.
Where: The Orpheum - 884 Granville St
Cost: Tickets have sold out; .
The Marías w/julie
The Grammy-nominated band from Los Angeles is bringing its north for two nights.
While the headliner is a softer, psychedelic sound, opening act julie brings a higher energy brand of rock with a bit of an edge.
When: July 25 and 26. Doors at 8 p.m.
Where: UBC Thunderbird Arena - 6066 Thunderbird Blvd
Cost: Resale for the first night or
Punk music wouldn't be the same without the Damned. Coming from the same London scene that produced the Clash, the Sex Pistols and the Pretenders, they were the first punk and toured the U.S. first.
Now, with most of their classic line-up in place, they're touring North America.
Opening for them will be local post-punk band Actors.
When: July 28. Doors at 7 p.m.
Where: The Commodore Ballroom - 868 Granville St
Cost:
Father John Misty
One of only two stops in Canada for the , Father John Misty will end his North American tour in Vancouver.
The tour is supporting his latest, and again critically acclaimed album Mahashmashana, his sixth studio album.
Opening up for him will be Hamilton Leithauser.
When: July 31. Doors at 8 p.m.
Where: Queen Elizabeth Theatre - 630 Hamilton St
Cost: Resale .
Tate McRae: Miss Possessive Tour
The 21-year-old Calgary singer and dancer has seen her star rise rapidly. She was a dance star as a teen and started sharing original songs on her social media accounts, which landed her a record deal in 2019, when she was just 16.
Now, six years later, she's headlining a global tour the charts in several countries.
Opening for her is Zara Larsson, a Swedish singer-songwriter who's found success at home and featured on the massive Clean Bandit hit "Symphony."
When: Aug 4 and 5. Gates at 7:30 p.m.
Where: Rogers Arena - 800 Griffiths Way
Cost: Both shows have mostly sold out. Resale tickets start at about $ night and $.
Nine Inch Nails: Peel it Back
Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross are stepping back from composing film scores for a bit this year to tour. It'll be the first time the tour through Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»in more than a decade.
Known for songs like Hurt, Closer, and The Hand that Feeds, the band Reznor and Ross have influenced hard rock since the early 90s.
Opening for Nine Inch Nails is German producer and DJ Boys Noize.
When: Aug. 10. Doors at 7:30 p.m.
Where: Rogers Arena - 800 Griffiths Way
Cost: Resale
Above & Beyond
Long one of the biggest trance acts in the world, are taking over Burnaby's Deer Lake Park for one of the biggest outdoor shows in Metro Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»this summer.
The trio is returning to Canada for the first time in seven years as they release their first new album in seven years on July 18.
When: Aug. 15. Gates at 5 p.m.
Where: Deer Lake Park - 6450 Deer Lake Ave
Cost:
PNE Summer Nights
The annual Summer Nights concert series is the biggest concert series in the city, with 15 nights of international acts taking the stage at Pacific Coliseum, many of whom are not on a tour.
The rosters bigger names include beloved alt rockers Wilco, the lively Latin flavours of the Gipsy Kings, rapper Flo Rida, and pop star Meghan Trainer.
Indie darling Bleachers will play the series, as will 90s radio faves Counting Crows, and classic rock superstars Lynyrd Skynyrd. Other highlights include Leon Bridges and Sean Paul.
When: Nightly from Aug. 16 to Sept. 1. Gates at 7:30 p.m.
Where: Pacific Coliseum - 100 N Renfrew St
Cost: ; the cheapest seats start between $59 and $84, depending on the performer.
Cyndi Lauper: Girls Just Wanna Have Fun Farewell Tour
At 72, 80s icon Cyndi Lauper is bidding farewell.
The year-long Girls Just Wanna Have Fun Farewell Tour is Lauper's first headlining run in over a decade. The "" singer got the tour started in the fall by selling out New York's Madison Square Garden.
Lauper is having a big year, it seems, as she's a 2025 inductee in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Opening for Lauper is pop singer-songwriter Jake Wesley Rogers.
When: Aug. 21. Gates at 7:30 p.m.
Where: Rogers Arena - 800 Griffiths Way
Cost:
Studio Ghibli has become one of the most beloved animation studios in the world, in part because of its music and soundtracks.
Now, an 18-person jazz band in Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»will be performing that music. They'll be taking Joe Hisaishi's scores and reimaginging them as big jazz pieces.
When: August 22. Doors at 7 p.m., show at 8 p.m.
Where: Hollywood Theatre - 3123 W Broadway
Cost:
Christone "Kingfish" Ingram
One of the biggest young names in blues, Kingfish is just 26 but has already been performing for more than a decade (he played the White House at 14).
He's also won a Grammy and , Blues Traveler, and Bootsy Collins.
When: Aug. 28. Doors at 7 p.m.
Where: The Commodore Ballroom - 868 Granville St
Cost:
Japanese Breakfast
The indie pop act led by Michelle Zauner has been a hit with fans of independent music over the last few years . The band is on tour now in support of For Melancholy Brunettes (& Sad Women), which has also received much acclaim after its release in March.
Opening for Japanese Breakfast is Ginger Root, the self-described "aggressive elevator soul" act of Cameron Lew.
When: Sept. 1. Doors at 8 p.m.
Where: The Orpheum - 884 Granville St
Cost:
With files from Lindsay William-Ross and Elana Shepert
