Concert Review: The Rasmus Finally Bring Their Long-Awaited Live Show to Vancouver
On Sunday October 4th while some Vancouverites were unwinding to prepare for the following workday… Many eager fans were en route to Rickshaw Theatre to finally see The Rasmus, Saint Agnes and Death Valley Dreams. The Rasmus had never played in this city up until today, and as someone who grew up way back in the day when Much Music was the go-to activity after school I can attest to the fact that this show has been long overdue.
The night started off with Death Valley Dreams, who has been a part of The Rasmus’ North America tour package. This was my first time seeing them live and they ended up being a pleasant discovery. Their sound can be described as a combination of old school glory days with a modern twist. Their stage set up immediately caught my attention and the first thing I noticed was their three red triangle light setup, and a stand that was reminiscent of something you’d see in a church. After a brief wait, the show began.
Their lead vocalist came up to the stand and immediately began to deliver a strong, controlled performance. He had a very distinctive and unique vocal tone, which gave the band their own signature sound that caused them to stand out. Throughout the entire set, the lighting did not change which I felt really added to the aesthetic that they chose. Combined with outfit choices, this ended up creating a striking and visually pleasing atmosphere on stage. Although red lighting can present some challenges for photography, I personally felt like it was a great way to showcase the vibes they brought.
At first the crowd’s movement was slightly limited as they were absorbing the experience and forming an opinion, but as the set progressed, the band remained consistent with delivering a quality set… The audience started to really warm up, which resulted in plenty of people moving around and immersing themselves in the experience. The set was short and sweet, and ended on a very strong note. It was time for changeover, and time for me to get a quick drink of water.
Next up on the bill is Saint Agnes, a rock n’ roll band fronted by an absolute powerhouse of a woman. As mentioned previously, Saint Agnes has been on tour with The Rasmus and Death Valley Dreams, and they are tonight’s direct support. This is my first time seeing Saint Agnes and I had started acquainting myself with their music before seeing them, and nothing would have prepared me for the experience of seeing them live.
The second that they came on stage, they took it by complete storm. Their show didn’t go from zero to one hundred, in fact there wasn’t even a lead up. They came on at a full one hundred and showed no signs of stopping. I really enjoyed their blend of modern and classic rock n’ roll, and I feel like this style isn’t as common as it once was. I also really liked that they didn’t have a cookie cutter sound, which further enhanced the Saint Agnes experience.
No exaggeration, I have seen hundreds of shows and witnessed many different kinds of performances. The level of energy, movement and crowd engagement that Saint Agnes brought with them is not as common as one may assume it is. Not only were they fun to watch, but they were fun to photograph. The energy and excitement from them was infectious, and I was especially impressed by their vocalist’s skills.
She delivered each word with so much power, and I very much appreciated how the band has added vocal effects at the best times in their performances. The most noteworthy part of the vocals for me personally was the last song, where she added so much emotion that it caused me to have a surge of my own. Grief is a powerful topic that is often hard to describe, and they were able to do it in an artistic and beautiful way. Their set ended on a powerful note, and then we were onto our final changeover.
Next up is the band that many of us have been waiting years for… The Rasmus. I made my way to the photo pit and started scanning the crowd. I immediately noticed that the energy shifted in the room, and it really brought me back to the emo days when the fangirl energy would activate. Someone had a Canada flag hanging over the rail guard to show their country’s love and support to a band that came from the other side of the world.
Their set started off with lots of strobes, which only seemed to amplify the intensity of the crowd’s anticipation. The entire front row had sparkles in their eyes, and many were holding a hand on their heart, which we all know as former emo kids that it meant The Rasmus was striking something deep in their souls. So many people were screaming the words at the top of their lungs, jumping up and down and had the biggest smiles on their faces.
The Rasmus also brought incredible energy to the stage. They were fully engaged with their fans, and I personally love it when bands who have been around for a long time still treat their fans as equals, as if they’re a part of their family. It was clear to see that A LOT of people have waited a very long time for this, and the entire experience brought me straight back to the 2000’s.
Something that really stood out to me was the amount of harmonizing that was going on between the members. I can only imagine how much practice that went into being able to pull something like this off, because not once did anyone throw each other off, or hit the wrong note. Every single harmony added a beautiful accent to each verse, and all I could really think was that I wish more artists did this. Closer to the end of their set, they played one of the Much Music classics… In The Shadows. At this point, out came several phones and the energy shot straight through the roof. The amount of people that were jumping, singing, dancing made this such a memorable night. The Rasmus put on an amazing show, and I personally think that our scene left a strong enough impression that hopefully brings them back one day.
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