The Best Shows Hitting Vancouver July 2017

Don’t miss legends like Queen, Bob Dylan, Neil Diamond and more awesome performers on stage this month

1. Queen + Adam Lambert at Rogers Arena – Sunday, July 2

Proof positive you don’t have to actually win American Idol to achieve great success, season eight runner-up Adam Lambert possessed enough range and swagger to sufficiently impress Queen’s Brian May and Roger Taylor to welcome him as the band’s touring frontman. While we can all agree there’s no possible way Freddie Mercury could ever be rightfully replaced, Lambert handles the job respectfully, and scores of fans are lauding his tribute to the legend. Head on over to Rogers Arena and see for yourself as he joins Britain’s most enduring rock outfit in all their classic majesty.
Tickets from $49.50

2. Daniel Lanois at the Commodore Ballroom – Wednesday, July 5

Best known as the producer of landmark albums for the likes of Peter Gabriel and U2, Daniel Lanois also adds singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist to his resume of wide-ranging talent. Impossible to pinpoint an exact style, expect the Juno and Grammy Award-winning Quebec native to spend the performance exploring a multitude of genres, making for an evening of borderless musical possibilities.
Tickets $29.50

3. FVDED in the Park Festival at Holland Park, Surrey – Friday, July 7 and Saturday, July 8

If your musical tastes are geared towards rap, hip-hop, EDM and R&B, FVDED in the Park is the festival for you! This year, Surrey’s most talked-about summer event features over 30 performers, including The Chainsmokers (who just recently picked up four Billboard awards), Wiz Khalifa, PARTYNEXTDOOR and Dillon Francis. Holland Park is conveniently located between Surrey Central and King George SkyTrain stations, so leave your car at home.
Passes from $119.50

4. The Offspring & Sublime with Rome at Abbotsford Centre, Abbotsford – Friday, July 7

Alt-pop-punk rockers The Offspring aren’t just a bunch of skater dudes from Orange County. Seriously, frontman Dexter Holland just graduated from USC with a Ph.D. in Molecular Biology—for reals! That honour, paired with the opportunity to hear their catalogue of infectious hits, sounds like an excellent reason to take the long haul out to the valley to help the band celebrate this momentous achievement. They’ll be joined by resurrected ska-punkers Sublime with Rome for an awesome night of summer tunes.
Tickets from $39.50

5. Matchbox Twenty & Counting Crows at Rogers Arena – Sunday, July 16

The musical climate back in the mid-’90s warranted a slew of angst-filled bands, just itching to put their inoffensive, safe-for-work stamp on the post-grunge apocalypse. Two of the most popular outfits of that particular era, Matchbox Twenty and Counting Crows join forces on their “A Brief History of Everything” tour, presumably to provide onlookers with some sort of an archival, radio-friendly education.
Tickets from $39

6. Neil Diamond at Rogers Arena – Monday, July 24

The week of July 24th marks an embarrassment of riches for Rogers Arena, kicking off with Neil Diamond as he celebrates his 50th anniversary in the business. At 76 years young, the Brooklyn native has sold over 120 million records worldwide and has landed 38 songs in the Top 10 charts over the course of his lengthy career. For millennials who might not understand, those numbers reflect actual sales, not wimpy little streams. Don’t miss the opportunity to take part in this golden anniversary milestone, and get your “ba! ba! BAA!” on.
Tickets from $39.50

7. Bob Dylan at Rogers Arena – Tuesday, July 25

Arguably the most prolific, influential and covered American songwriter of all time, Bob Dylan turns the tables with his interpretation of the great American songbook in his latest release, Triplicate. Expect to witness cuts from the Nobel Prize laureate’s infinite catalogue, along with unique covers in a style that only Mr. Robert Zimmerman can deliver.
Tickets from $46.50

8. Bruno Mars at Rogers Arena – Wednesday, July 26 and Thursday, July 27

Given the murkiness of today’s auto-tuned and prefabricated musical landscape, it’s rare to find a bright spark rising above the detritus. A fresh flavour in an otherwise vanilla market, Bruno Mars shines as he brings his “24K Magic World Tour” for two funk-filled nights in VanCity. Make no mistake, this true talent, clearly influenced by the likes of Michael Jackson and Prince, will absolutely sing, play and dance his way into legendary status, leaving most of his contemporaries wallowing in the mire.
Tickets from $40, July 26 & July 27