Sold Out! Those seem to be the two words that preface any concert hitting the Garden City these days. People are craving live music whether it’s international acts like GZA at Wicket Hall or The Sheepdogs at The Royal Theatre or even local acts like Sleepshake, Razorvoice and Dead Soft at Lucky Bar.
With Lights long overdue return to Victoria and kicking off her Canadian leg of the PEP tour at Capital Ballroom there was never any doubt she would be added to the growing list of sold out shows this winter.
With a large group of VIP ticket holders already in the Capital Ballroom for a private soundcheck performance from Lights and line-up stretching down the block the room quickly filled up with anxious fans to see the luminous Lights. The crowd packed in tightly in front of the stage for the tour’s opening act, Tynomi Banks.
Tynomi Banks, known best from the first season Canada’s Drag Race took the stage with a fierce determination and within moments had the audience completely captivated by their dancing, lip-syncing and sharp banter. At one point calling out a fan in the audience for the comment they sent Tynomi earlier… something about trying to get Tynomi pregnant. We won’t go into too much detail but the crowd had a good laugh.
Honestly, we didn’t know what to expect from Tynomi Banks as she strutted confidently to the centre of the stage but we want more drag acts at concerts. They are wildly entertaining and a theatrical addition that seems to be missing in modern rock concerts.
Feverish screams and cheers rose from the crowd as the main attraction of the evening appeared out the fog. Lights – illuminated only by the brightly glowing obelisk at the back of the stage quickly launched into her mega-hit, Salt & Vinegar, with an explosion of colour and light.
It didn’t matter whether the songs were tried and true singles like Siberia, February Air, Ice, Toes, Second Go or new tunes like Rent or Okay Okay off her latest record, PEP, the audience had the lyrics memorized and sang them back.
Powered by the energy in the room that evening it seemed like Lights almost never stopped moving. Almost floating effortlessly around the tight stage and hopping down to the barrier in front of the stage multiple times to get close and personal with her fans.
By the end of the evening the Capital Ballroom was several degrees warmer from the energetic, enthralling and unforgetable kick-off of the Canadian leg of the Pep tour. Leaving us all soaking in the cool winter air as we exited the night club.
We hope that it doesn’t take another decade for Lights to come back to the Garden City for her own concert. Victoria misses her already.
