The Best Shows Hitting Vancouver in July 2022

From Canadian pop royalty to a national treasure, it’s all happening this month

1. Shawn Mendes and Dermot Kennedy at Rogers Arena – Saturday, July 2

The interweb tells me Shawn Mendes “has won more than 122 awards during his career.” More than 122? That seems like such an exact number to denote a non-exact number. Don’t you mean more than 120? Or does that mean he’s won 123? I should really let semantics like this go, but anyway, the popular 23-year-old Pickering, Ontario pop sensation has inarguably received a big chunk (newsflash: “big chunk” is the new “more than 122”) of accolades, including 13 Junos, alongside a prestigious inclusion in Time magazine’s “100 Most Influential People” list. I suppose that may be true, considering you couldn’t go anywhere a few years ago without hearing the repeated strains of “Stitches“ playing on any given radio station or pretty much every shopping mall in North America. Last time Mendes performed at Rogers Arena, you’d be hard pressed to get a single ticket, and this time is no different because there’s only a handful left. Fans of Irish indie-folk singer-songwriter Dermot Kennedy should also consider jumping on Ticketmaster quickly as he’s signed on to open this shindig.
Tickets from $73.90 

2. Wu-Tang Clan at the PNE Amphitheatre – Saturday, July 2

Facebook/Wu-Tang ClanPeople are going to hate me for saying this, but it appears Wu-Tang Clan is more of a fashion brand than an actual band. I don’t mean any disrespect to the Staten Island hip-hop legends, but for the past 30 years, you couldn’t swing a cat on any street corner (who does that anyway?) without hitting somebody wearing a Wu-Tang T-shirt (I’m talking everyone from toddlers to supermodels to grandmas). The simple fact that you can purchase their apparel at Top Shop or Nordstrom should tell you this is reality. I’ve even seen a brewery (which shall remain nameless as I don’t want them to get hit with a copyright infringement lawsuit) jack the Wu-Tang logo to brand a variety of beer. Not gonna lie, I’d like to believe all these people actually listen to this group, but something tells me it’s a fashion statement in the same way you see Kardashians in Slayer T-shirts. Listen, don’t come after me; just look around! But, don’t snooze on this occasion to show off your swag to “Protect Ya Neck” at this event because tickets are flying fast.
Tickets from $97.10 

3. Kraftwerk at Orpheum Theatre – Sunday July 10

KraftwerkFor a band that’s been in existence since 1969 (I’m not making it up, you read that correctly), Kraftwerk has certainly aged well. Always fresh, always ahead of their time, the German electronic pioneers continue to push the envelope of futuristic, experimental synth-pop, and they show no signs of letting up. Now, with the launch of their 3-D Tour, they’re taking it into a new dimension, so to speak. Upon entering the theatre, you’ll be provided with a pair of stylish Kraftwerk-branded 3-D glasses (pfft… not your standard, run-of-the-mill generic specs, please!), designed to enhance the entire audio-visual experience as they celebrate more than half a century of iconic kling klang. Expect no less than the finest in German innovation for your eyes and ears as you traverse the “Autobahn” on the “Trans-Europe Express” (and yes, I recognize that’s technically impossible, but just nod your head and play along).
Tickets from $53 

4. The Black Crowes at Abbotsford Centre – Sunday, July 17

Facebook/The Black CrowesReunited and it feels so good (sorry, Peaches & Herb), Atlanta’s most excellent Southern rock pioneers The Black Crowes are back, and that’s great news. It’s true, despite internal grumbling between the Robinson brothers, they just couldn’t pass on the opportunity to bring it all together one more time to perform their debut album $hake Your Money Maker in its entirety (side note: I once won $450 off a radio station because of “Hard to Handle”—suffice to say I have some fond memories of this band). If their first record doesn’t top your list, don’t worry because they’ve promised to belt out a grand selection of all your favourite hits, so this girl’s crossing her fingers we’ll get to hear a large portion of The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion in the set.
Tickets from $67.50 

5. Cat Power at Vogue Theatre – Thursday, July 21

Facebook/CAT POWERJuly is shaping up to be the month to celebrate Atlanta-based musicians, and we’ll get just that with a little visit from indie-rock icon Chan Marshall, better known to all of us as Cat Power. The youthful 50-year-old has just released her third cover album, shockingly titled Covers, a diverse collection of numbers initially performed by the likes of everyone from Iggy Pop to Billie Holiday, and featuring a knockout rendition of Bob Seger’s “Against the Wind” as a standout. Expect to hear some cuts from that record alongside a wide offering from her extensive original discography, including stuff from her well-received 2018 release, Wanderer. Don’t miss your chance to see this badass influential singer-songwriter in one of our city’s most intimate soft-seat venues.
Tickets from $60.50 

6. Machine Gun Kelly, Avril Lavigne and Willow at Rogers Arena – Saturday, July 23

Facebook/Machine Gun KellyBeyond my wiser judgment, and at the risk of receiving a poorly worded lambasting by the MGK legions (it wouldn’t be the first time), I’ve decided to include this Mainstream Sellout hootenanny in my column. Why? Because I just find it bizarre that this is a thing in an arena. First of all, until the release of Mötley Crüe’s Netflix bio The Dirt, I had no idea who Machine Gun Kelly was. Yeah, OK, I’d heard of him, but unless you were big into rap, he may not have exactly been on your radar either. But play Tommy Lee in a crappy biopic and all of a sudden he’s a household name? Add to that his high-profile (and far too swarming PDA) relationship with Megan Fox, and you can’t get away from the guy. Oh, and then one minute he claims to be the saviour of rock ‘n’ roll, and the next, he says he’s done with the genre. So which is it, Colson? Whatever. This dude is his own personal marketing team, and he’s got himself a mini-festival going with pop-punk-princess Avril Lavigne (who ET Canada touts to be a “national treasure”—let the record show I’m in strong opposition of that claim), and Willow (better known as the progeny of Hollywood’s most inveterate attention-seeking couple, Will and Jada… somebody). And yes, the irony in my questionable decision to fuel this hype machine is not lost on me.
Tickets from $50.85 

7. Alanis Morissette and Garbage at Rogers Arena – Sunday, July 31

Facebook/Alanis MorissetteSo hey, ET Canada, you want someone to bestow “national treasure” status upon? Honestly, “You Oughta Know” better, but since you don’t, I present to you the one and only Alanis Morissette. The 48-year-old Ottawa native, dubbed the “Queen of Alt-Rock Angst” by Rolling Stone, has firmly cemented her critically acclaimed musical legacy by selling more than 75-million records worldwide, winning 14 Junos, seven Grammys, and a countless number of other awards (refer to “big chunk” above), including an induction into Canada’s Walk of Fame. Want more? The singer-songwriter-actress-producer has just released her first meditation album, the storm before the calm, and it’s stunningly gorgeous. Don’t just take my word for it, go out and buy it! If Alanis isn’t enough to drag your butt out of the house on a Sunday evening, consider the inclusion of Madison, Wisconsin’s finest alt-rock outfit Garbage in the lineup, and you’d be a “Stupid Girl” (or boy) to miss this exceptional double-bill.
Tickets from $65.70