Avril Lavigne rocks Hard Rock LIVE at Ottawa’s newest venue!

The lineup to enter Ottawa’s brand new Hard Rock Hotel and Casino was buzzing last night as both casino patrons and Avril Lavigne fans patiently excitedly waited to get in. Conversations could be heard with people wishing the concert goers good-luck and asking if they had ever seen Avril live before. One man showed off his 2004 concert t-shirt, excited to wear it again for this concert. This was to be his 8th time seeing Avril live; and at 40, he was the same age as her, which is really hard to believe given that for many she will forever be a punk princess teen from Napanee.

Once inside the doors, it was obvious that a lot was put into making the newly renovated casino welcoming. Staff was all smiles and very accommodating, determined to make sure patrons enjoyed themselves. The quickly moving line for Avril’s concert snaked its way across the entire floor of the casino back to the Live concert hall at the rear of the building. As they waited in line to enter, concert goers had a full view of the bright and lively casino floor. It was a heady combination of bright lights, people, music, and diverse music memorabilia that is so easily associated with the Hard Rock franchise.

Starting off the night, Lauren Isenberg (aka Renforshort) started off the evening with enthusiasm and a pinch-me energy befitting someone sharing the bill with Avril Lavigne. It evoked memories of when a young Avril opened for Shania Twain in Ottawa when she was 14 and was just getting started. Isenberg has amassed a healthy following on social media and has toured with Yungblud. As a Canadian singer and songwriter hailing from Toronto, Renforshort’s talent was on full display on the big stage. Using a combination of personally written songs with cover songs, she showcased a well-rounded talent and energy that kept the audience fully engaged.

Avril Lavigne then made a dramatic entrance, launching her set with a two-minute light and sound spectacle. The massive back screen lit up with flashes of headlines and concert footage, charting her iconic 23-year journey to stardom. Having recently played the Festival d’été de Quebec, it looked like she brought the whole set to the Hard Rock to play a little “last minute addition to the tour”. The fans were appreciative of the theatrics and danced and pumped their fists to the first song she played, Girlfriend. This was of course the lead single from her 2007 album The Best Damn Thing which also became one of her biggest hits, reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100. Before launching into Here’s to Never Growing Up, a pop-rock anthem that celebrates the spirit of staying eternally youthful, Avril polled the audience for their demographics. The loud cheers for each group made it clear that her appeal spans all ages.

Avril herself seems to have a timeless quality about her and the band’s energetic performance resonated with the crowd. Pyro and lasers lit up the theatre for My Happy Ending, matching the song’s theme of relationship heartbreak and the fallout of a broken promise. The audience was thrilled as Avril broke out her guitar with this one and the energy in the room soared. It is safe to say that the conclusion of Avril’s Greatest Hits Tour, which kicked off in 2024 and spanned Canada, the US, and Europe, has been a resounding success for the singer-songwriter, especially to this almost hometown crowd.

We’re really looking forward to covering more live shows for you at this spectacular new venue.

For a full list of upcoming events at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Ottawa visit https://casino.hardrock.com/ottawa/entertainment/event-calendar

More Photos by @reneedoiron