It’s been a great concert season catching up with some of the best bands of the ’90s. On Sept. 30, I was able to see two of the finest rock bands from that era, Our Lady Peace (OLP) with openers The Verve Pipe, at Howard Theatre in Washington, DC.
OLP formed in Canada in the early ’90s and are currently playing various US dates on their 30th Anniversary Tour. Raine Maida is still the leader of the band and lead vocalist. Duncan Coutts is on bass, Steve Mazur on guitar, and Jason Pierce on drums, rounding out the current lineup. The band has undergone changes from time to time over the years, but even with those lineup changes, Maida still sounds amazing on vocals, and OLP has definitely maintained its original sound.
It was a great night watching OLP play live after listening to them for decades, beginning with their first album, Naveed, way back in 1994 and its outstanding song “Starseed,” followed by the hugely successful “Superman’s Dead” from the multiplatinum Clumsy album in 1997.
The Verve Pipe, the band from Michigan, was locked in tight from the moment they walked onstage. Their sound was spot-on to the band of the ’90s, and the current formation delivered a great set of Verve Pipe songs. Brian Vander Ark is still the passionate lead vocalist, with Brad Vander Ark on bass, Channing Lee on vocals and keyboards, Lou Musa on guitar, and Daine Hammerle on drums.
The Verve Pipe played a great opening set, beginning with “Photograph,” one of their biggest hits from the ’90s. Brian Vander Ark’s vocals were fantastic, and the current lineup weaved through a quick set of about eight songs. Lee’s vocals complemented Vander Ark’s very well, and the current lineup may just be my favorite, as they sound great and play extremely tight together.
Watch the official music video for “Photograph” by The Verve Pipe on YouTube:
Putting OLP and The Verve Pipe together for a show was an outstanding choice, giving fans an opportunity to hear two of the ’90s’ best bands play some of their best music. Obviously, The Verve Pipe played its signature classic “The Freshmen,” which was monumental to hear live, but arguably the best part of the set was the finale, a cover of Soundgarden’s “Black Hole Sun” in tribute to the band and the legendary Chris Cornell. It was a perfect way to end the set and prepare fans for OLP and its great light show.
Maida opened the OLP set with a great version of “Sound the Alarm,” moving quickly into “One Man Army” and then, to my surprise because I had not seen the setlist, a triumphant “Superman’s Dead.” The vocals and sound were fantastic, quickly pulling the joyous crowd deep into the set.
“Superman’s Dead” arguably represents one of those timeless, foundational pieces of music from the ’90s scene that many of us loved and still miss today. “The Freshmen” by The Verve Pipe establishes that same connection to what was once an unbelievable era in modern music.
OLP played extremely tight and had fun throughout the entire night. Some of the many finer moments for me were the night’s versions of “Whatever (Redux),” “Clumsy,” and the final song, “Starseed,” also one of the band’s biggest hits.
Watch the official music video for “Starseed” by Our Lady Peace on YouTube:
The night was fun and nostalgic, taking us back to a special place and time, not only for a new alternative style of music but for a sound that would later become part of the classic rock fabric as we know it. It wasn’t just me, either. The fans in attendance were emitting plenty of emotion while getting the chance to experience these timeless bands.
It was fantastic to watch both bands play their songs in the intimate setting of Howard Theatre.
Given the opportunity, this is a show every music fan — and especially every lover of ’90s music — should go see.
Setlist
1. “Sound the Alarm”
2. “One Man Army”
3. “Superman’s Dead”
4. “Innocent”
5. “Bring Back the Sun”
6. “Paper Moon”
7. “Is Anybody Home?”
8. “In Repair/Thief”
9. “Once I Was”
10. “Drop Me in the Water”
11. “Not Enough”
12. “Whatever (Redux)”
13. “Somewhere Out There”
14. “Clumsy”
15. “Locked in the Trunk of a Car” (The Tragically Hip cover)
16. “4am”
17. “Starseed”
Here are some photos of Our Lady Peace performing live at Howard Theatre on Sept. 30, 2026. All pictures copyright and courtesy of James Todd Miller.
Here are some photos of The Verve Pipe performing live at Howard Theatre on Sept. 30, 2026. All pictures copyright and courtesy of James Todd Miller.
