There was a crackle in the air at Scotiabank Centre last Thursday — the kind that only happens when a band finally steps into a moment fans have been waiting years to see. We had The Beaches in Halifax for the penultimate stop of their No Hard Feelings tour, and fans showed up in near-sellout force to greet the band as they finally headlined a show on the city’s largest stage.
Before the headliners hit the stage, Valley lit up the room with a set that was equal parts polished and playful. They rolled through “Like 1999,” “There’s Still a Light in the House,” and a crowd-pleasing cover of MGMT’s “Kids,” never once slowing down. Their energy was infectious, sprinting across the stage, trading smiles, clearly having a great time.
I caught Valley earlier this year at Sommo Festival and they blew me away then. Seeing them scale that same fire to a much bigger stage was awesome to see. With the strength of their 2024 album Water the Flowers, Pray for a Garden, this band is well on their way to even bigger things.
The Beaches took the stage to the kind of roar that shakes your bones; the kind of reception usually reserved for hometown heroes. Even while battling various ailments, including frontwoman Jordan Miller powering through a rough bout of strep throat, the band delivered a two-hour set that never once let the energy dip. Love, friendship, and resilience were the threads running through the whole night.
They kicked off with No Hard Feelings favourites “Last Girls at the Party” and “Touch Myself,” setting the pace for a setlist largely built around their newest work. The Halifax crowd devoured every minute of it. Between songs, Miller expressed how deeply the band felt that love, that mix of gratitude and disbelief that these newer tracks had already become fan anthems.
Midway through, the lights softened and the stage shrank to just Jordan Miller and Leandra Earl for an intimate performance of “Lesbian of the Year.” The moment carried a weight that hushed the entire arena. Earl’s openness about coming out later in life — and the pressure of being held up as some symbolic “lesbian of the year” — resonated deeply. As someone who came out in my teens but shared many of those same feelings around shame, acceptance, and belonging, the song hit me in a way I didn’t quite expect. It’s that raw vulnerability, that willingness to go there, that sets The Beaches apart and keeps fans tethered tightly to them.
From there, the energy surged again. The whole crowd erupted into a full-blown sing-along during “Blame Brett,” voices bouncing off the rafters. When the band slipped offstage after their main set, Halifax wasn’t having it. The roar for an encore could’ve passed for a tidal surge.
They returned with a three-song finale: “I Wore You Better,” “Sorry for Your Loss,” and a triumphant reprise of “Last Girls at the Party,” this time with Valley joining them on stage. It was chaotic, joyful, communal — the kind of ending that sends you home buzzing.
It ranks among the best concerts I’ve been to in a long time. Halifax adores The Beaches, and the feeling is mutual. Here’s hoping they won’t make us wait long for the next visit.
Huge thanks to Sonic Concerts for hosting an unforgettable night. If you haven’t yet, dive into No Hard Feelings and Valley’s Water the Flowers, Pray for a Garden. Both albums are well worth your time.
