Live, Big Wreck, and Econoline Crush Warm Up a Chilly Edmonton Arena
On a crisp Friday evening in late February 2026, Rogers Place in Edmonton transformed into an intimate rock venue as Live, Big Wreck, and Econoline Crush took the stage. The atmosphere was dreamlike and strangely cozy, with the arena's half-bowl configuration creating a pub-like vibe that defied the usual massive concert experience.
Legal Drama and Audience Defiance
Live frontman Ed Kowalczyk addressed a week-old cease-and-desist order regarding the band's name with cheerful nonchalance during the performance. The 6,400 enthusiastic fans in attendance seemed completely unconcerned with such legal matters, instead focusing on singing along passionately throughout the night. Their collective participation made it clear this was anything but an "I Alone" experience.
Econoline Crush Sets the Energy Bar High
Opening the evening was Vancouver's Econoline Crush, who immediately cranked up the energy level for adrenaline-seeking concertgoers. The four-piece band demonstrated their enduring pop sensibilities that have remained tight and sunny since their mid-90s heyday. Their set featured an impressively female-heavy audience singing along to Oasis-inspired tracks like "All That You Are" and the retro-angst anthem "You Don't Know What It's Like."
"Band rules, T-shirt nabbed," noted one satisfied fan after their energetic performance.
Big Wreck Reaches Musical Peaks
Toronto-born guitarist Ian Thornley, 53, led Big Wreck to what many considered the musical peak of the entire evening. The band's sound tickled the stratospheric heights of their influences Soundgarden and Led Zeppelin with high-wailing, wah-wah guitars and impeccable radio-rock credibility.
Guitarist Chris Cadell delivered particularly impressive work during "Bombs Away," while the metal-adjacent, bluesy "Albatross" shone brightly in their set. The dreamy "Believer" and "Blown Wide Open" led to their ninth and final song, the perfectly-formed hit "That Song," which offered everything a rock fan could desire: nostalgia about nostalgia, beautifully-wailed lyrics, and a Pigtronix-pedal fuzzy distortion in a wake-you-up guitar bridge.
Live's Theatrical Entrance and Performance
Headliners Live made a dramatic entrance, emerging from behind a giant dropped white sheet in a theatrical moment reminiscent of Megadeth's stagecraft. Frontman Ed Kowalczyk, 54, initially appeared with a somewhat square Jeff Bezos-like vibe behind sunglasses, but quickly shook off any stiffness with a Gord Downie-inspired auctioneer's snarl during the opener "Operation Spirit (The Tyranny of Tradition)."
Intimate Arena Experience
Despite the arena setting, the concert maintained unusual intimacy throughout the evening. Rogers Place transformed into what felt like a clubby Roman amphitheatre with perfectly-mixed sound that enhanced rather than overwhelmed the experience. The venue's adaptability allowed for a deep-exhale version of what's typically a massive concert space.
Drummer Dayvid Swart of Econoline Crush particularly stood out with his impressive work, and was later spotted chilling with friends in the concourse after Big Wreck's set, adding to the casual, accessible atmosphere of the evening.
