10 Vancouver concerts for music lovers to check out in August

Vancouver is filled with sweet summer sounds throughout August, and we’ve got the low down on performances you need to check out around the city!

From Ambleside Music Festival to Drake and Buffy Sainte-Marie, here are our picks of 10 great concerts to add to your schedule!

And for more fun things happening around town, be sure to visit our Listed section.

Drake

Drake (John Steel/Shutterstock)

What: Drake is on the road this summer with long-time collaborator 21 Savage for the
It’s All A Blur tour, and it’s coming to Vancouver for two shows in August.

It is Drake’s first tour in five years, but the multi-platinum star has kept busy. In that time, he has released four albums, including 2022’s Her Loss in collaboration with 21 Savage. The album topped Billboard’s 200 chart with all 16 songs debuting on the iconic Hot 100 list.

When: August 28 and 29, 2023
Time: 8 pm
Where: Rogers Arena — 800 Griffiths Way, Vancouver
Cost: Various prices, purchase online

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Monstercat Compound

What: On Saturday, August 26, the sixth annual Monstercat Compound will bring an outdoor block party to Railtown with live performances and interactive experiences.

Headliners include Crankdat, an international touring artist with nearly a quarter of a billion total streams; Blanke, who was chosen as the Break Out Artist of 2019 on the Subreddit R/EDM’s best of 2019 list; and Nostalgix, a Vancouver-based producer, writer, and rapper with roots in the Canadian dance music scene and born in Iran.

When: August 26, 2023
Time: 2 to 9 pm
Where: Railtown, Vancouver
Admission: Free with RSVP, VIP passes are also available. Purchase online

Vance Joy

What: Multi-platinum and Juno-nominated artist Vance Joy will perform at Deer Lake Park in Burnaby on Friday, August 25.

Joy is best known for his worldwide smash hit, “Riptide,” off his debut EP God Loves You When You’re Dancing and featured on his first studio album Dream Your Life Away. The catchy track holds the record for the most weeks in the top 100 of the ARIA Singles Chart.

When: August 25, 2023
Time: 5 pm
Where: Deer Lake Park – 6450 Deer Lake Avenue, Burnaby
Tickets: Various prices, purchase online

PNE Fair Summer Night Concerts

PNE Summer Night Concerts

What: The PNE Fair is returning this summer with a jam-packed schedule of fun from August 19 to September 4, and music fans in Vancouver will definitely want to check out the nightly Summer Night Concerts.

Whether you’re into hip-hop anthems, rock singalongs, or country ballads, there’s something for all PNE fairgoers to enjoy. Artists include TLC, Billy Talent, Aqua and Jason Derulo.

When: August 19 to September 4, 2023 (closed on August 21 and 28)
Time: 11 am to 11 pm (Fair hours), 8:30 pm (concert)
Where: 2901 E Hastings Street, Vancouver
Cost: Reserved tickets for Summer Night Concerts start at $20 and can be found online. Attendees will also need to purchase a Fair Gate Admission separately for the date of the concert.

Red Truck Beer Company’s Truck Stop Concert Series

What: This year, the brewery will be celebrating its seventh year of the concert series with a diverse lineup of local and international performers.

The Truck Stop Concert Series 2023 wraps up on Saturday, August 12 with a headline set by alternative-pop quartet Ripe. The Boston-based band has been streamed over 65 million times on Spotify and has performed to massive crowds at festivals such as Bonnaroo, Firefly, SweetWater and Bottlerock. The day’s lineup also includes Vancouver faves Delhi 2 Dublin.

When: August 12, 2023
Time: 4 to 10 pm
Where: Red Truck Beer Company — 295 East 1st Avenue, Vancouver
Tickets: Starting from $60 plus fees, purchase online

Jeff Goldblum and the Mildred Snitzer Orchestra

What: Jazz pianist Jeff Goldblum and his backing band Mildred Snitzer Orchestra are performing at the Vogue Theatre in their first-ever Canadian performance.

The Oscar and Primetime Emmy-nominated star has released three albums with his jazz band, Jeff Goldblum & The Mildred Snitzer Orchestra: The Capitol Studios Sessions, I Shouldn’t Be Telling You This, and Plays Well with Others. The latter was released in March 2023, with Goldblum appearing on Late Night with Seth Meyers and Jimmy Kimmel Live.

When: August 12, 2023
Time: Doors 7 pm, show 8 pm
Where: Vogue Theatre – 918 Granville Street, Vancouver
Tickets: Various prices. Tickets available online

Burnaby Blues and Roots Festival 2023

Buffy Sainte-Marie

What: The Burnaby Blues and Roots Festival presented by Parkland returns to Deer Lake Park this summer with free admission. Headlining the festival is multi-time Juno Award winner and member of the Canadian Songwriters and Canadian Country Music Halls of Fame, Buffy Sainte-Marie.

The festival will also feature performances by Allison Russell, The Dip, Boy Golden, The Trade-Offs and a to-be-announced artist from the First Up with RBCXMusic program.

When: August 12, 2023
Time: 2 to 10 pm (Gates at 1 pm)
Where: Deer Lake Park – 6450 Deer Lake Avenue, Burnaby
Cost: Free. The event site has a capacity of 9,000 attendees

Candlelight: The Best of Zelda

What: Still soaring high from playing The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom and looking for another way to celebrate your love of Link? Check out the candlelight Legend Of Zelda tribute concert coming to Vancouver this month.

The show will be put on by Fever, with two evening shows on Friday, August 25. It’s really going to Hy-rule!

When: August 25, 2023
Time: 7:30 and 9:30 pm
Where: Christ Church Cathedral – 690 Burrard Street, Vancouver
Cost: Starting at $30, purchase online

Russell & Roots – The Country Show

What: Brought to you by Russell Brewing and The Festival Company, Russell & Roots is two huge concert nights in support of mental health initiatives.

Head down on August 12th to enjoy Country Night (presented by 93.7 JR Country) with Locash, James Barker Band, Meghan Patrick, and local acts that will get the audience toe-tapping and singing along to their high-energy performances.

When: August 12, 2023
Time: 1 to 10 pm
Where: Softball City — 2201 148 Street, Surrey, British Columbia
Tickets: Starting at $78 — tickets are available here.

Ambleside Music Festival

Weezer (Sterling Munksgard/Shutterstock)

What: Weezer and Third Eye Blind headline the 2023 Ambleside Music Festival, presented by GSL Group. The 10th edition of the popular fest also features alt-rockers Finger Eleven, indie-rockers Said the Whale, singer-songwriter Bahamas, hip-hop collective Bran Van 3000, and indie pop stars Saint Motel and Wallice.

This year’s Ambleside Music Festival will feature a variety of vendors, food trucks, craft beer, wine tastings, and more.

When: August 19 to 20, 2023
Where: Ambleside Park — West Vancouver
Tickets: Various prices. Advance ticket pricing for two-day General Admission and VIP tickets are on sale now.