Despite having to cancel a few shows on her current tour, Grimes came back “home” for a show at the Commodore Ballroom. With a large hometown crowd in attendance, the young Vancouver born performer looked out over the crowd after taking the stage and shyly said “Hi guys.” This brief message set the tone for the show, as it seemed throughout the night that Grimes was performing for friends and family.

On that note, Grimes mentioned that her parents were in fact in the crowd on that nigh. In addition to mom and pop, several familiar faces from Vancouver were in the house. Local DJs Rico Uno and My!Gay!Husband! were there. I also ran into Whitecaps FC defender Jay Demerit. Demerit was sporting his Whitecaps FC playoff mullet and a recently bought GRIMES tank. The night was not about who was there, it was about who we were there to see.

Ever since hitting the local scene, Grimes has been growing her fan contingent, locally and worldwide, ever since. Her career has seen a spike in the past year after a very successful SXSW performance. After several months on tour, her hometown fans, many of whom have been supporting her for years, were treated to a dance party of epic proportions.

Standing up on an elevated stage, behind a mountain of looping and effects machines, the music all came from one place. Despite being in control of the sound from her station all night, Grimes never managed to stand still for too long. She was either bobbing her head with her headphones on like many DJs, dancing from side to side, or simply pumping her arms in the air all show. She seamlessly went from manipulating the beat of the song, to singing with her hauntingly high voice, then back. The energy, and overall joy, she was exuding from the stage infected the entire crowd at The Commodore.

The crowd as moving all night long. A glance from upstairs at The Commodore showed that the crowd was moving almost like a body of water. Swaying from side to side, up and down in unison. Keeping with that aquatic analogy, the crowd was the water, and it was Grimes’ music that provided the tides. As her music swelled and the beat intensified, so did the movement in the crowd. When her music would slow down, and her voice became a focal point, the crowds movement reflected that and slowed. Once the first few seconds of the song Oblivion began the crowd went into tidal wave mode (I’m done with the water analogy now). This song, seen by many, is her biggest hit. A look around the crowd showed that this track is a crowd favourite.

Being able to see a homegrown talent (Nickleback excluded) perform on a large stage is always a joy. You can see the sense of pride and joy in the artists eyes. The crowd is always that much more into it. Considering how high, and fast, Grimes star has risen, it is exciting to wonder which stage she will be gracing next time in Vancouver.

Grimes on Twitter.





Photos © Krystal Nōne