Review and Photos – Sam Fender at Thunderbird Arena, Vancouver, April 5 2025
On a crisp spring Saturday night, the young crowd that filled the UBC Thunderbird stadium eagerly awaited the UK indie rocker, Sam Fender. As his bandmates walked out, the energy spiked—Fender was just moments away. When he finally stepped into the spotlight, an unmistakable roar from the crowd filled the arena.
Armed with a guitar, Fender captivated the crowd with his opening track, “Dead Boys”, off his breakout album, Hypersonic Missiles. Fender discovered his passion for music during his teenage years and released several singles independently in 2017. His musical style incorporates indie rock, heartland rock, pop rock and Americana, merging into a sound that is uniquely his own.
While Fender and his Geordie accented vocals were far and away the star of the show, his backing band was no slouch either, utilizing an array of guitars, trumpets, saxophones and a mad drummer to complete the ensemble.
When Fender engaged with the audience, he confided that he did not know what to expect when he came to Vancouver. He couldn’t have fathomed that his support had reached this far across the pond. Fender expected a sweaty 200-person venue, and was shocked that he was playing in a hockey arena filled to the brim with screaming fans.
Throughout the show, Fender played many hits off his newest album, People Watching, including the title track, “Arms Length”, and “Crumbling Empire.” He even added the b-side “Tyrants”, which is yet to be available to the general public.
When Fender closed out his set with his most popular track, “Seventeen Going Under”, the arena’s collective joy could not be contained. As the band walked off, the crowd kept the chorus alive, filling the stadium with the “woah-oh-oh” hook long after the music had stopped. This turned into roaring cheers until Fender came back on stage, thanking the fans and playing his breakout track “Hypersonic Missiles”, until each fan who came that night cemented their fandom for many years to come.
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