Our Lady Peace Celebrates 30 Years with Electrifying Opening Night at The Vic Theatre in Chicago

On a cool Chicago evening, music fans packed into the historic Vic Theatre for a night that was three decades in the making. Opening night of Our Lady Peace’s 30th Anniversary Tour brought a sold-out crowd to the legendary Lakeview venue, where generations of fans gathered to celebrate one of modern rock’s most enduring bands.

All Photos By: Aaron R. Shriver Photography

The Victoria Theatre, better known as The Vic, has been a cornerstone of Chicago entertainment since opening its doors in 1912 as a vaudeville house. Located in the heart of the city’s Lakeview neighborhood, the intimate 1,400-capacity venue has hosted everything from classic theater performances to stand-up comedy and some of the biggest names in live music. Walking into The Vic feels like stepping into a different era. The ornate interior, lined with Italian marble and vintage architectural details, creates a warm atmosphere that perfectly balances history with the raw energy of live music. With a standing-room floor and a seated balcony, every angle of the theater offers excellent sightlines and acoustics, making it one of Chicago’s most beloved venues for concertgoers. On this particular night, the theater buzzed with anticipation, eager to witness the first night of a tour celebrating 30 years of Our Lady Peace.

Kicking off the evening was The Verve Pipe, the American rock band formed in East Lansing, Michigan, in 1992. Known for their melodic alternative rock sound and memorable late-90s hits, the band proved to be the perfect opening act for the evening’s nostalgic yet powerful lineup. The band launched into their set with songs from their breakthrough 1996 album Villains, an album that produced the biggest hits of their career and one that also happens to be celebrating its 30th anniversary. Right from the start, the Chicago crowd was locked in. The opening notes of “Photograph” rang through The Vic as the band kicked off their set, immediately drawing cheers from longtime fans. It didn’t take long for the audience to join in, singing along as the familiar melody echoed throughout the historic room. They followed with “Cup of Tea,” maintaining the energy before rolling into the album’s title track, “Villains.” The Verve Pipe sounded tight and confident, clearly enjoying the moment as they revisited the music that defined a generation of alternative rock fans.

Frontman Brian Vander Ark paused between songs to connect with the audience, sharing stories and reminding the crowd just how long these songs have lived in people’s lives. At one point, he told the audience that the next song had been featured in the movie Rock Star, prompting cheers before the band launched into “Colorful.” The nostalgic trip continued with “Hero” and “Medicate Myself,” both perfectly capturing the late-’90s and early-2000s rock era that shaped so many fans’ formative years.

Click The Image Above For The Full The Verve Pipe Photo Gallery

As the opening chords of “The Freshman” rang out, the room erupted. The band’s 1996 hit, one that peaked at number five on the charts, still holds a special place in the hearts of fans decades later. Halfway through the song, the band paused and let the audience take over. Thousands of voices filled The Vic Theatre as the crowd sang the lyrics back to Vander Ark, creating one of those rare live music moments where the performer and audience become one. In that moment, the venue’s incredible acoustics allowed every voice to echo through the ornate theater, making the performance feel even more intimate. The Verve Pipe closed out their set with a powerful cover of Soundgarden’s “Black Hole Sun,” a fitting tribute to the grunge and alternative era that helped shape their own sound. The Chicago crowd responded with loud applause, clearly warmed up and ready for the main event.

When the lights dimmed again later in the evening, the excitement inside The Vic reached another level. Our Lady Peace, the Canadian alternative rock band formed in Toronto in 1992, walked onto the stage to a thunderous welcome. For more than three decades, the band, fronted by vocalist Raine Maida, has been one of Canada’s most successful rock exports. Known for their emotional songwriting, distinctive vocals, and powerful live performances, Our Lady Peace built a career that defined much of the late ’90s and early 2000s rock scene.

Chicago was chosen as the launch point for their 30th Anniversary Tour, and as the crowd quickly proved, it was the perfect place to start. The band opened the night with “Sound the Alarm,” a newer track released last year as part of their 30-year compilation. The song served as both a modern introduction and a reminder that while the band has been around for decades, they continue to evolve. From the first note, the energy in the room was undeniable.

Raine Maida addressed the crowd early in the set, telling them there was a reason the band chose Chicago to launch this tour. Looking around the venue, it was easy to see why. The floor was packed wall to wall with fans, while the balcony above was just as full. Without slowing down, the band launched into one of their biggest hits, “Superman’s Dead.” Instantly, the audience erupted, singing every word as the song filled the historic theater.

The band kept the momentum going with “Innocent” and “One Man Army.” During the latter, Maida used a megaphone effect to amplify his vocals, his voice echoing dramatically throughout the venue’s grand architecture. From there, the band dove deeper into their catalog with “Naveed” and “Is Anybody Home?”, each song reminding fans just how many anthems Our Lady Peace has produced over the years. At one point, Maida paused and smiled at the crowd before saying, “Here’s one we haven’t played in a while.” The band then launched into “Life,” a surprise moment that longtime fans clearly appreciated.

While the night was filled with celebration, it also included a heartfelt moment that reminded everyone just how much music connects people. Maida slowed things down and shared a story about touring with Brad Arnold of 3 Doors Down, reflecting on the friendship between the bands. With emotion in his voice, he explained that the next song would be played as a tribute to Arnold, honoring the singer who the rock community lost just months earlier.

“Things happen in life as you get older, you have kids, you have a mortgage, car payments, but some crazy things happen along the way where you meet people that move you, certain people that you meet and know that is a good person. The next song is about one of those guys, who was a good person. Like a really good person, and I don’t care about politics or religion, he was a lot of those things but never put them on anyone else. He truly loved everybody, and he was kind, he was generous, he was a rockstar, but he wasn’t a rockstar. One summer we toured all across the states with him, they took us to places we have never been. We played that crazy rodeo in Cheyenne; we played that biker rally wherever the hell that was. Sturgis, yeah, we saw shit I had never seen before in Sturgis. We were on the road with them for the whole summer, the band was 3 Doors Down. Brad Arnold was a good guy, and it was so sad and heartbreaking to watch him go through what he went through and finally pass away just a month or so ago. So, we decided to pay tribute to Brad on this tour ‘cause he left a mark on all our hearts ‘cause he was so kind.”             

The band then performed “Away From the Sun,” delivering a touching tribute that brought a quiet reverence to the crowd. In a night full of high-energy moments, it was a powerful reminder of the emotional power of live music. After the emotional tribute, the band picked the energy back up with “Temporary Healing” and “Made of Steel.” They then surprised the crowd with a cover of Pearl Jam’s “Hail, Hail.” Before starting the song, Maida shared a fun piece of personal history, telling the audience that he actually met his wife at a Pearl Jam show.

Moments like these made the concert feel less like a performance and more like a shared experience between band and fans. Then came “4am.” If the crowd had been loud earlier in the night, they somehow found another level during this song. Fans sang along passionately, their voices echoing throughout the historic theater. But the biggest moment of the night was still coming. As the opening notes of “Somewhere Out There” rang out, The Vic Theatre nearly blew its roof off. The entire crowd sang the song from start to finish, turning the venue into one massive chorus. The band closed their main set with “Clumsy,” a song that perfectly captured the nostalgia and emotional connection fans have with the band’s music, but the night was far from over.

The Chicago crowd wasn’t ready to let the band leave. After several minutes of cheers and applause, Our Lady Peace returned to the stage to a thunderous ovation. They kicked off the encore with “I Wanna Be Your Drug,” immediately reigniting the crowd’s energy. Then came one of the most talked-about moments of the tour. Earlier in the anniversary tour, the band made headlines by performing “Whatever” live for the first time in 22 years during a show in Calgary. The band had previously stepped away from the song due to its association with professional wrestler Chris Benoit, who used the song as his WWE entrance theme at the time of his tragic double-murder and suicide. However, the band recently decided it was time to reclaim the song. They released a newly recorded version titled “Whatever (Redux)”, announcing that all revenue from the track would be donated to suicide prevention initiatives. Chicago fans were treated to the powerful new version, a moment that blended reflection, redemption, and purpose.

Click The Image Above For The Full Our Lady Peace Photo Gallery

The surprises didn’t stop there. In a fun, interactive moment, a fan in the crowd was allowed to choose the next song, selecting “Automatic Flowers.” Finally, the band closed out the night with “Starseed,” bringing the opening night of the tour to a triumphant end. As the crowd slowly made its way out of The Vic Theatre, there was a clear sense that everyone had just experienced something special. For many fans, the night wasn’t just about hearing songs they loved; it was about reliving memories tied to those songs. Our Lady Peace has been part of people’s lives for three decades, and the energy inside the venue proved that their music still resonates just as strongly today. Opening night in Chicago wasn’t simply the start of a 2026 tour. It was a celebration of 30 years of music, memories, and one of the most iconic alternative rock bands of our lifetime.

For More On Our Lady Peace Or To Catch The 30th Anniversary Tour Click Here!

Our Lady Peace Set List:

Sound The Alarm

Superman’s Dead

Innocent

One Man Army

Naveed

Is Anybody Home?

Life

Away From the Sun (3 Doors Down Cover)

Temporary Healing

Made Of Steel

Hail, Hail (Pearl Jam Cover)

4am

Somewhere Out There

Clumsy

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I Wanna Be Your Drug

Whatever

Automatic Flowers

Starseed