Katy Perry Shares Her “Lifetime” of Hits with Montreal at Centre Bell [Photos]

There’s a reason why I take photographs of musical acts rather than being a critic. Had I been a critic, I would have written Katy Perry off as a one-hit wonder in the making 17 years ago when her song “I Kissed A Girl” seemed like it was on every radio station and video program. I would have obviously been wrong, because here we are in 2025, and Katy Perry has had a remarkable career. The Centre Bell in Montreal was sold out, and every one of the fans in attendance couldn’t wait for their favourite hits to be played.

Katy Perry’s gigantic “The Lifetimes Tour” began in April, and her appearance in Montreal began with Katy rising from a hole in the stage up to the ceiling. For this portion of the show, she was dressed as a kind of cyborg/Iron Man, the first of many different outfits. The show would go on to have four other ‘acts,’ featuring a very generous 25 songs that covered all of her albums. At this point in the evening, we were only a few songs into the set, but the crowd was already on fire.

Part of that flame was thanks to Rebecca Black, who opened the show. Speaking of one-hit wonders, Rebecca Black has been spending the last few years trying to dig herself out of the shadow of a song. She’s been working hard, trying to grow as an artist. She certainly carried herself with an air of confidence up on the stage, and the crowd reacted very well to her songs. She just released her second album, Salvation, earlier this year and maybe this pairing with one of pop’s biggest stars will be a perfect learning environment for her as she continues to work on her craft.

One of the things that endears Katy Perry to her fans is that she doesn’t come across as a diva. She was up on stage, surrounded by dancers, musicians, and a gigantic video wall, but still cracking jokes and chatting with the audience. It was a full-blown spectacle, given by someone who would probably be just as comfy chatting on the couch or having a friendly dinner with a former Canadian Prime Minister. The only difference being that on this night, most of her lounging was done in the arms of her many dancers or while being several feet in the air while hanging from the rafters.

Katy Perry’s “The Lifetimes Tour” continues to the end of the year. For someone who might have been considered to be a one-hit wonder once upon a time, Perry has proven to everyone who may have thought that they were wrong. Her seventh album, 143, was released last year, and in an industry that seems to churn out new pop princesses on what seems like a daily basis, Katy Perry has seen many contenders come and go.

Through it all, she remains at the top of the mountain. All of the theatrics, lights, dancers, and special effects make for an incredible presentation. But it’s the songs that brought everyone out to the Centre Bell. Katy Perry and her songs have been doing that in arenas and stadiums around the world as well, and will surely continue doing so.

Katy Perry (w/ Rebecca Black) @ Centre Bell (Montreal, QC) on July 30th, 2025

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