Kaytranada kicked off the highly anticipated Timeless 2024 tour in Vancouver, BC, on September 14th, 2024. A rare outdoor concert for the city, Deer Lake Festival Lawn was the perfect setting for a night of genre-bending, house-influenced R&B that Kaytranada, along with his tourmates Lou Phelps and Channel Tres, are so well known for. Luckily, the Vancouver rain stopped just before the gates opened, leaving only a few muddy spots on the lawn to navigate, instead of the slick mudslide most of us were anticipating.

@artbynishita

Kaytranada Timeless Tour in Vancouver. You just had to be there. #kaytranada #timlesstour #vancouver

♬ original sound – ArtbyNishita

Starting early, Lou Phelps (Kaytranada’s brother and a well-revered artist in his own right) kicked off the night with bouncy hip-hop mixes and jazzy instrumentals. Small groups of people could be seen on picnic blankets, bobbing their heads, and as the sun began to set, the stage was backlit by mesmerizing displays of pink and orange. One thing about this venue—it’s absolutely stunning. If you’ve never had the pleasure of attending a concert here, it’s nestled in a beautiful forested area just off the lakefront, allowing the natural surroundings to enhance any show’s lighting and visuals. As the lawn began to fill up, Channel Tres took over, playing his hits, including my personal favourites “Topdown” and a live rendition of Jungle’s “I’ve Been in Love” (one of my favourite songs of 2023). To amp things up, Channel Tres was joined by four backup dancers who really got the crowd hyped.

Between sets, the venue kept the music bumping, creating a palpable energy and buzz in the air. As if perfectly timed, Kaytranada came on as the sunset ended. His trippy and colourful visuals illuminated the night sky, bouncing off the surrounding trees and lighting up the crowd’s faces. If you’re a fan of Kaytranada, you would’ve loved this set. From “Intimidated” (feat. H.E.R.), to “YOU’RE THE ONE” (feat. Syd), to inviting Lou Phelps and Channel Tres back on stage for their respective collaborations, Kaytranada played everything we wanted to hear, even some of his iconic Boiler Room transitions and brand new, unheard mixes. One thing Kaytranada knows how to do is control a crowd. People were jumping, dancing, singing along, up on people’s shoulders, having the best time—even Kaytranada himself was taking time to groove with the crowd. My personal highlight of the night was “Be Your Girl” (Kaytranada Edition), but a close second was when he mixed (arguably) the song of the summer, “Nasty Girl” by Tinashe, with “Out of Time” by fellow Canadian icon, The Weeknd.

@samaraomarr

big vibes #kaytranada #vancouver #timelesstour #edmtiktok

♬ original sound – Samara 🪩

Despite an early curfew of 10 p.m. and Deer Lake Festival Lawn being a bit out of the way, Vancouver really showed up and showed out. I’d even argue that Timeless was one of the best concerts of the summer for the city. A full crowd, a beautiful night, Kaytranada’s stacked discography, and incredible energy—it was the perfect way to celebrate one of Vancouver’s last warm nights. And for those who didn’t want the night to end, Channel Tres kept the party going with a post-show set at Chinatown staple, Fortune Sound Club.

Although this was the first stop of the tour, there are few notes to offer. If you see your city on the Timeless tour map, I highly recommend going. You can catch the tour in Toronto on September 27th, Montreal on September 28th, and across the United States until November 23rd, 2024. Openers may vary, but if the first show was this good, I can only imagine how strong the rest of the tour will be.

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