The We Were Here tour has officially begun. Commencing its first show of two, here in Vancouver, fans came from all over to witness the talented Canadian artist, Lights.
The first opener of the show was Canada’s DCF, aka, David Charles Fischer. Walking on stage with a Hamilton resembling outfit, his genre of electronic pop brought the crowd to their feet. With similar sounds to fellow Canadian musician Virginia to Vegas, DCF engaged the crowd through consistent conversations between songs. Performing a majority of heavy bass songs, he ended his set with an acoustic guitar cover of “Misery Business” from Paramore.
The second openers, Chase Atlantic rocked the room with their striking energy. The Australian group brought a mixture of dark alternative pop and rock to the stage for their first ever Vancouver show. Their sound was a heavy vibration on the 1975 and flor. Surprisingly, they managed to weave a saxophone into their set and made it seamless. Ending their set, lead singer, Mitchel Cave waved a Canada flag on stage.
The main event of the night was about to begin. Lights walked out as the billboard of black behind her transformed to a vibrant wall of colour. Instantly the crowd was singing along bringing out her smile.
Starting the show with some songs off her latest album, Skin and Earth, the guitar rocking song, “Savage” got the heads banging. She then jumped back to sing her earlier hits like “Second Go” and “Toes.”
Falling under the electronic pop genre, Lights had an well rounded setlist. With a great mixture of up beat songs to slower acoustic songs, that fans would consider “underrated fan favourites,” she mentioned how this crowd was the “guinea pig show” of the tour.
With a unique experience set up, someone brought out a pizza box on stage. Lights kept the audience engaged through her storytelling. Within the box was a synthesizer, as a transitioned into her next song. Not only was her presence engaging, she included story sequences on the main screen from her latest comic book to keep the show flowing. Fans couldn’t get enough of it.
On the same point, she knew her fans like the back of her hand. With faces in the front she called out names and thanked them for continuously returning to her shows.
Lights was a genuine open book. Visually you could learn what type of artist she was if it was from the instruments she used to the visuals on the light board behind to the stage set up and props.
During her acoustic arrangement, she sat down to sing “Banners.” The song was taken to a new level that involved a hint of country flare. Later, giving the audience the option between two songs, “Face Up” or “February Air”, both from her 2009 album The Listening, the crowd overwhelmingly voted for “February Air.”
Z also got an indirect shout out during the show, because fans who saw her Instagram story, the day of the show would’ve known what she was referencing to — she mentioned hearing her music (newest single “We Were Here”) on the radio for the first time in a while since “Drive My Soul.” Discussing her excitement, she consistently conversed with the crowd.
Ending the night with an encore, she performed “Giants.”
Lights had amazing stage presence and energy. Her fiery red hair reflects her personality too. Even though her routine wasn’t overly complicated, her style is nothing like I’ve seen before. As a whole, I was blown away.