Fans were lined up down the block from The Centre early Friday afternoon in hopes of getting front row and center on the general admission floor to see Lights and Owl City. Due to popular demand, concert organizers had previously moved the venue from the original location at the Vogue Theatre to The Center in order to accommodate the fans. It was the first all-ages headlining show for both Lights and Owl City in Vancouver.
Warming up the crowd was Paper Route, a band from Nashville, Tennessee, who most recently toured with Paramore. The crowd was receptive to the band, but it was clear that there were a lot of Lights fans in the building waiting for her to hit the stage. Lights started off her set with the title track off of her debut album, ‘The Listening’. You can tell that the energy levels are especially high when Lights returns home to Vancouver, as she alluded to at several points in the night. With her band members Adam and Maurie, Lights charmed the crowd with her keytar (when it didn’t fail on her) in hand.
Before slowing things down with ‘Pretend’, Lights told the crowd the story of her keyboard, which was the first one she used and discovered and developed her love of electronic beats, and the ways she found she could use them in her music. Because the keyboard stays in Vancouver with her family, she rarely has the opportunity to play it. There was an endearing and tender moment on stage as Lights finished the song, and then proceeded to hug the keyboard.
Although Vancouver could not get enough of Lights, it was time for Owl City to hit the stage. And the building only got louder at that point.
The fans were feeding off of the high energy levels of Owl City, and lead singer Adam Young did the same. Just before singing his hit song, ‘Fireflies’, he stated his adoration for Vancouver, and that there was “something about Vancouver that reminds [him] about my little hometown in Minnesota” and that he wouldn’t mind moving here.
Part of Owl City is singer-songwriter Breanne Duren, who plays guitar and acts as backing vocals. Not only are the production levels high, but it is hard not be smitten with a backing band that has such talent… and a xylophone.
There’s no doubt that all the fans in the building, regardless of who they were there for, went home with at least a little smile on their faces.
LIGHT’S Setlist:
- The Listening
Lions!
February Air
Face Up
Second Go
Ice
Pretend
Quiet
Saviour
In The Air Tonight (Phil Collins cover)
River
The Last Thing On Your Mind
Drive My Soul (Encore)
OWL CITY’s Setlist:
- Umbrella beach(?)
The Bird & The Worm
On The Wing
Hot Air Balloon
Dear Vienna
Fuzzy Blue Lights
Cave In
This Is The Future
Dental Care
The Saltwater Room
Technicolor Phase
Fireflies
Meteor Shower
Vanilla Twilight
Tip Of The Iceberg
Hello Seattle (Encore)
** If you find any discrepancies in the setlists, please let us know. :)
