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Three Days Grace In Vancouver
Three Days Grace in Vancouver was a co-headliner show full of millennials ready to unleash the angst built up since their teen years. Playing to a nearly packed Rogers Arena, the night was as much a celebration as it was a nostalgia fest for the soul. Returning to the band after a 12-year absence, Adam Gontier unsurprisingly didn’t miss a beat. His voice truly shined, and heightening the vocal experience was co-captain Matt Walst. When Adam teased his return to the group last year, there was speculation about whether Matt would be dropped, but thankfully that wasn’t the case. In fact, the band has been working on a new album. Alienation is out August 22nd, and if the performances of singles “Mayday” and “Apologies” are anything to go by, the album will be monumental for the rock scene.
As much as the night was a big deal for the Canadian group, they weren’t the only ones celebrating an album. Headliner Volbeat closed out the night. Hailing from Denmark, the Danish group brought their intense rock sound to the Rogers Arena stage. Volbeat’s performance celebrated their latest album, released just a day prior, GOD OF ANGELS TRUST, which earned early praise thanks to the single “By a Monster’s Hand.” But before diving deeper into Volbeat’s set, let’s talk about the fiery intensity that was Wage War opening the night.
Wage War Leaves A Lasting Impression
Ocala, Florida’s Wage War had the duty of unleashing the headbangers of Vancouver, and they delivered. The five-man group opened with “NAIL5,” and from the first note, the stage effects went off. Singer Briton Bond menacingly conducted fans to lash out in a circle pit. Band members Cody, Chris, Seth, and Stephen kept things tight as they performed seven tracks, most of which hailed from their fifth album, last year’s STIGMA, including “TOMBSTONE” and “Magnetic.” Between the group’s synergy and Briton’s ability to rile up a crowd, Wage War left a mark on many eager concertgoers. Many new fans were overheard hoping to catch them again in the city soon.
An Experience Over 20 Years In The Making
As the title suggests, I had waited over 20 years to see Three Days Grace in Vancouver. What I experienced was an emotional rollercoaster I’ll never forget. If there’s one song everyone mentions when it comes to 3DG, it’s “I Hate Everything About You.” Was it played? Of course. It was everything I could have asked for and more. It was significant because that’s where my love for the band began. Their self-titled album was front-to-back hits like “Home” and “Just Like You,” one of which was the only other track from that album played that night. While that felt like a slight disappointment, I let it slide considering how much content they had to work through in under two hours.
My real love for the group started in 2006 with the release of One-X, my album of that year. Most of the night’s setlist consisted of tracks from that record, and each one was an injection of nostalgia. I vowed to see them live at least once, but in 2013, just when the opportunity seemed near, Adam Gontier left the band. From interviews during his recent return, it seems that was a dark chapter in his life, and stepping away from the band was his most conscious decision.
Enter Matt Walst
I won’t lie. When Brad, Neil, and Barry announced the band would return with My Darkest Days’ Matt Walst, I wasn’t thrilled. We hadn’t even heard a single track yet, and I was already ready to give up on years of dedication to the band. I thought, “There’s no way this guy can take Adam’s spot.” I held such an attachment to Gontier’s voice and lyrics. It felt irreplaceable. Looking back now, I was young and dumb. It reminded me of the reaction Linkin Park fans had last year when Emily Armstrong was announced as their new co-vocalist.
Time passed, and I ignored the band for a while. But my curiosity grew, and I finally gave Human a listen. With tracks like “Painkiller” and “I Am Machine,” I thought, “Okay, this goes hard.” Matt brought his own flair while nodding to Adam’s style. My fears faded. While Outsider (2018) and EXPLOSIONS (2022) felt a bit repetitive, they were still solid. Around the time of EXPLOSIONS, I discovered Saint Asonia, a band fronted by Adam. Imagine sitting at a jazz club, chatting with friends, and then a voice onstage grabs your attention. That voice was Adam’s. My favorite singer hadn’t disappeared, he’d just been hiding in plain sight.
Welcome Back, Adam
I was surprised to learn Adam had been making music with Saint Asonia for years, with three albums under their belt. Asonia felt like a mirror of 3DG, just with a more underground feel. Then came a turning point, in Huntsville, AL, circa 2023, Adam surprised fans with performances of “Never Too Late” and “Riot” alongside 3DG. Soon after, Adam officially rejoined the band. Fans speculated Matt would be gone, but thankfully that wasn’t the case. Instead, it became a sort of Dragon Ball fusion of both singers. They elevated each other’s songs and respected both eras. It’s hard to describe, but what we saw at Three Days Grace In Vancouver proved it.
Turns Out It’s Never Too Late To Witness Three Days Grace
For many, this wasn’t just a six-month wait from the announcement to show date, it was years in the making. Rogers Arena was packed, and you could feel the energy building like an earthquake. When the lights went out, screams erupted as “It’s All Over” teased the start, before the bassline of “Animal I Have Become” kicked in. Adam and Matt walked out side by side. The instrumentals were pinpoint accurate, and their vocals played off each other flawlessly. By the second track, “So Called Life,” any skeptics of Matt’s presence were surely silenced.
Setlist & Highlights
With 16 tracks and eight albums to represent in 90 minutes, 3DG pulled off what could have been mission impossible. Anthems like “Home,” “Break,” “Chalk Outline,” and surprisingly “Time of Dying” repped the Adam era, while Matt-era hits like “I Am Machine,” “The Mountain,” and “So Called Life” also got love. New fusion tracks from Alienation, like “Mayday” and “Apologies,” received lively crowd reactions, proving fans are excited for what’s next. The emotional peak hit with “Never Too Late.” Phone lights lit up the venue, and Adam’s powerful, raw delivery made many, including me, quite emotional. The band paused multiple times to soak it all in, thanking fans and promising to keep returning to Vancouver, just in time for One-X‘s 20th anniversary in 2026.
Thank You
What else is there to say except: thank you, Three Days Grace in Vancouver. Thanks for the music that made me feel seen. For the memories built from MuchMusic video binges. Thank you for an unforgettable first concert. Adam, thanks for not forgetting us, because we never forgot you. I can’t wait to hear what Alienation has in store.
From Denmark To Vancouver: Volbeat Ignites The Scene
Though the Three Days Grace In Vancouver set ended, the crowd’s energy didn’t. Soon, Volbeat’s logo curtain dropped with a bang, launching into “A Warrior’s Call/I Only Want To Be With You.” Matching Three Days Grace In Vancouver 16-track set, they brought the fire. They revisited hits like “Still Counting,” “Fallen,” and “Lola Montez,” and showcased new tracks like “Devils Are Awake,” “By a Monster’s Hand,” and the mouthful “In the Barn of the Goat Giving Birth to Satan’s Spawn in a Dying World of Doom.”
My history with Volbeat goes back to 2011 when a family friend introduced me to Beyond Hell/Above Heaven, I was instantly hooked. This wasn’t even my first time seeing them live; I caught their Servant of the Road Tour in 2023. Though this tour was larger in scale and production, Michael, Kaspar, Rob, and Jon delivered a wild ride both times. Their fast-paced performance and crystal-clear sound make them a must-see every time they hit the area.
In Closing
Crazy night to say the least. Three incredible acts, one of which I’d waited years to see. My biggest fear after Three Days Grace In Vancouver was, “How can anyone top that?” Volbeat didn’t try to outdo them, they matched the energy and added their own flavour. This pairing was made in heaven. For those lucky enough to witness this tour, it’s an experience worth remembering and bragging about. And for us rabid concertgoers, there’s no better feeling.
I’d like to thank Three Days Grace In Vancouver & Volbeat for allowing me to experience and capture this once in a lifetime show. If you’d like to find out more on the band or catch a future date of the tour, please visit here: https://threedaysgrace.com/
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