Concert Angels and Airwaves Commodore Ballroom Vancouver Continuing their mission to spread inspirational alternative space rock to the masses.

When I first heard "The Adventure" from the debut album of Angels & Airwaves We Don't Need to Whisper several years ago, my interest was peaked by this strange and new direction Tom DeLonge was taking after the indefinite hiatus of Blink 182. It didn't sound at all like Blink 182 in the traditional sense, but it sounded like a matured version of Box Car Racer that went through a cinematic filter of science fiction and War dramas. The themes of love, war, and overcoming pain are apparent in the music, along with DeLonge's trademark voice, defining what the concept behind Angels & Airwaves is -- inspirational music that wants to make you feel like you're "flying," with a marching beat of entering into battle, to spread peace. Whatever happened in DeLonge's life to make him create anthems for the downtrodden and those struggling in their youth, has clearly shaped Angels & Airwaves. And with their second LP I-Empire, their sound has become tighter.

I wonder if he was appointed by God?

DeLonge is no longer about the punk pop of Southern California. No, that was so 90's. Those who prefer to dwell on the past Blink 182 image, probably won't like Angels & Airwaves. You don't have to look far to see the flurry of negative comments directed to the band either on youtube or myspace. If you're a fan of Delonge, and want to hear an artist mature, and experiment with a new sound, then this band offers something you might like.

After canceling a performance in March and rescheduling it for August here in Vancouver at the Commodore Ballroom, I finally had a chance to see them live. The combination of Kanye's Glow in the Dark tour inspired light show, with the type of music that Angels performed created an absorbing atmosphere for a live performance. It was entertaining, and amazing to hear live, the audience was transported to a place where Angels & Airwaves was not so much the name of a band, but a feeling, and mindset.

Other Concerts: The Ting Tings @ The Plaza club, M.I.A. @ The PNE Forum, Peter Moren @ The Media Club, M.I.A. @ The Commodore, Meg & Dia w/The Spill Canvas, PlayRadioPlay, Idiot Pilot, K-Os w/ You Say Party! We Say Die!

Concert: M.I.A Rocks Vancouver @ The Commodore M.I.A. All the Way

Waiting in the cold outside the Commodore Ballroom, was a small sacrifice for concert goers, as they were about to be warmed up by the intense sounds of M.I.A.

Tuesday night was the first of two packed sold out shows in Vancouver, featuring the underground phenomena M.I.A. with opening act The Cool kids. M.I.A. delivered an incredible high energy performance that was a true testament to the hype that surrounds her in the music scene. To put it simply, M.I.A. rocked. Her music is addictive, and being it was performed live with phenomenal showmanship -- the audience singing and dancing to every song from the moment she stepped out on stage -- it was clear M.I.A. is not only huge in the UK, but in Canada as well.

The concert started off late, being that The Cool Kids were held up at Customs. During that time, Mark Ronson, Amy Winehouse, and Lily Allen were blasting on the speakers in the theme of UK musicians, being that M.I.A. is from London. After the Cool Kids played their short set, we were greeted by a speech by Kouichi Toyama, the political activist, and youtube star. Placed into context with an M.I.A. concert added that extra bit of counter culture.

As one concert goer put it "Tight ass, Spandexy legs" when referring to M.I.A. as she rode the crowd. "We almost dropped her, the security guard had to help her back up on stage."

During one song she invited people to come on stage and dance with her. Of course, this made the crowd go wild (even more then they already were) and being that I was near the front, I was constantly being pushed, shoved, and crushed between bodies. I survived to bring you all these pictures! One guy kept waving a Tamil Tigers flag, yet you could tell that M.I.A. didn't want it overshadowing her performance, and the overall positive mood.

Overall the show was amazing. The crowd was wild the entire time. It was an unforgettable show! Check out M.I.A. on myspace.com/mia

Other Concerts: Meg & Dia w/The Spill Canvas, PlayRadioPlay, Idiot Pilot K-Os w/ You Say Party! We Say Die!