OneRepublic to perform pre-game concert ahead of B.C. Lions’ season opener

Photo by John Shearer/Invision/AP

The B.C. Lions are pulling out the big guns to get fans to their June 11 season opener against the Edmonton Elks, announcing Thursday that Grammy-nominated pop rock band OneRepublic will perform a pre-game concert at BC Place.

The 30-minute launch concert will begin at 6:30 p.m. PST, before the Lions take the field at 7:00 p.m. PST, making for a special evening in downtown Vancouver to celebrate the beginning of another season.

OneRepublic is comprised of singer/songwriter and lead vocalist Ryan Tedder, guitarists Zach Filkins and Drew Brown, bassist and cellist Brent Kutzle, and drummer Eddie Fisher. The band released their debut set Dreaming Out Loud in 2007, including the smash single “Apologize,” which shattered digital sales and airplay records worldwide and received a Grammy nomination.

The band’s sophomore album, 2009’s Waking Up, produced the hit singles “All the Right Moves,” “Secrets” and “Good Life.” The certified-platinum album Native followed in 2013, featuring the No.1 hit “Counting Stars.” OneRepublic released Oh My My, their fourth full-length album in 2016.

OneRepublic has amassed 5B streams on Spotify to date. OneRepublic’s latest album, Human, dropped on August 27, 2021. It features singles, which combined have over 2.5 billion global streams: “Somebody”, “Run”, “Somebody To Love”, “Wanted”, “Didn’t I”, “Better Days” and “Rescue Me”, which has been certified RIAA Gold.

OneRepublic previously served as the halftime entertainment for the 104th Grey Cup in Toronto in 2016 and more recently performed halftime for the NFL Week One opener between the Los Angeles Rams and Chicago Bears in September 2021, the first game at SoFi Stadium with fan attendance.

New Lions owner Amar Doman has promised to make Lions’ home games an event for fans across the province. The concert ensures the 2022 home opener will be one people won’t soon forget, so long as the Leos don’t get overshadowed by their opening act.