The Best Shows Hitting Vancouver June 2017

Don’t miss John Legend, Tool, Bonnie Raitt and more awesome performers on stage this month

1. John Legend at Rogers Arena – Thursday, June 1

With 30 awards to his credit—including 10 Grammys, an Oscar and a Golden Globe—John Legend has cemented his status as one of the most established and sought-after singer/songwriters in the business. The 38-year-old has collaborated with a veritable who’s who of music royalty, from Sérgio Mendes to Janet Jackson to Sly & the Family Stone—but it’s the superior quality of his own performance that sets him apart from his contemporaries. Expect Legend to set a sultry mood when he serves up tracks from his well-received 2016 album Darkness and Light.
Tickets from $35

2. La Chinga, The Damn Truth at The Astoria – Thursday, June 1

If you’re feeling a little nostalgic for a time when rock music was uncomplicated, you’ll want to christen the new month by heading straight over to Strathcona’s most beloved dive bar to get your fix. Vancouver’s very own power-stoner-boogie trio La Chinga headlines this event by offering up their superbad, ’70s-inspired hard-rock vibes. Another good reason to attend is to witness a rare appearance by Montreal’s exceptional rising stars The Damn Truth, who will showcase tunes from their most excellent sophomore release, Devilish Folk. Make sure you arrive early to catch sets from East Van noisemakers Colby Morgan & The Catastrophes and Ricky Ruth Band.
Tickets $10 at the door

3. Def Leppard, Poison and Tesla at Rogers Arena – Tuesday, June 6

In keeping with the nostalgic theme, this triple-bill could not be more emblematic of the ’80s rock scene if you crowned it with Ice Mist hairspray, adorned it with acid wash, and slapped it on the cover of Metal Edge magazine. Always a favourite when they show up in this town, Sheffield sons Def Leppard will once again rock till they drop, pleasing longtime fans with their bottomless stash of hits, including new tracks from their 2016 self-titled album. Glam-metal stalwarts Poison will satisfy your nothing-but-a-good-time craving, and Sacramento’s most hardworking blues-metal outfit, the always worth it Tesla, will make you ask yourself why they’re not actually headlining this thing.
Tickets from $45

4. HELLYEAH at the Commodore Ballroom – Monday, June 12

Be forewarned: groove-metal giants HELLYEAH intend to wake up the neighbourhood with their signature thunderous, bottom-heavy sound. Dealing out numbers from their decade-long career, including tracks from their most recent effort, Unden!able, one can only hope they’ll slide their unpredictable cover of Phil Collins’ I Don’t Care Anymore into the mix.
Tickets $29.50

5. Tool at Rogers Arena – Thursday, June 15

Put Tool tickets on sale in Vancouver, and watch the inevitable frenzy. Ask any hardcore fan of the enduring alt-metal outfit if they were easily able to secure seats for any of their concerts over the past 20 or so years, and prepare for a venting tirade. We all wonder why they don’t just simply book a stadium show, once and for all! That said, if you’re hoping to catch Maynard Keenan and Co. this time around, keep checking Ticketmaster leading up to the event for the release of production holds.
Tickets from $75

6. Bonnie Raitt at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre – Monday, June 19

Active since the 1970s, the ageless Bonnie Raitt brings her blues-steeped talent and charm to the comfort of the Queen Elizabeth Theatre. Expect the multiple Grammy Award-winning singer-guitarist to create a warm and welcoming atmosphere with familiar numbers from her long and storied career, along with tracks from her 17th studio album, Dig in Deep.
Tickets from $49.50 

7. Ryan Adams at the Orpheum Theatre – Tuesday, June 27

Singer, songwriter, producer and poet, Ryan Adams has kept himself just a little too busy by releasing 16 albums in 17 years. So occupied, it’s no wonder his most recent release, Prisoner, touches on the painful dissolution of his marriage to Mandy Moore (either that, or his bizarre decision to release a track-by-track cover of Taylor Swift’s 1989 might’ve been the inevitable deal-breaker). Be that as it may, his critically acclaimed new album should provide a solid basis for an undoubtedly intimate setting in the lush confines of the Orpheum Theatre.
Tickets from $35