Hot off his big break on season seven of the popular reality dating show Love Island USA, contestant Nic Vans showed up in snowy Kingston to rock the house.
Vans went viral last summer for his flirtatious attitude and various couplings throughout the show, culminating in his ongoingrelationship with co-star Olandria Carthen. The model and Registered Nurse have entered his “wannabe DJ” era, blasting tunes across North America until at least summer 2026. He appeared at Stages Nightclub on Jan. 7 around 11:30 p.m. following opener Pyro Tiger with a set “built for TikTok moments, festival style vibes, and Love Island level photo ops,” per Stages’ Instagram.
The crowd was treated to a variety of tricks from Vans. “He FaceTimed Olandria at one point, which the crowd went crazy for,” said Carys Newman, ArtSci ’26, in a statement to The Journal. “He kept drinking straight out of his glass Don Julio bottle, which made me laugh.”
Newman said the crowd was energetic, as full as a regular weekend night at Stages, if not more. When Vans pointed at the crowd or gestured onstage, the mostly female audience “would scream at the top of their lungs,” Newman said. “[Vans] looked a bit shocked about how into it everyone was.”
While his showmanship may have been hot, his music wasn’t. “Though Nic is a great personality to watch on TV, his DJ skills were underwhelming,” said Maham Arfan, ArtSci ’26, in a statement to The Journal. Vans played mostly electronic beats, leaving out mainstream songs and lyrical content.
However, Vans’ star power shone through. “I think Nic’s persona and him being at a nightclub in a university town made most of this experience feel incomprehensible,” Arfan said. “I don’t think many [people] were actually paying attention to the music.”
Another drawback was ticket prices, almost $45 with tax, the night of the event, according to Newman. But for both her and Arfan, this one-time event was worth it. “I’ve spent less going to see artists that I’ve listened to for years, but I would’ve paid even close to $50 to see this guy from a reality TV show fulfill his dreams of DJing,” Arfan said.
Both students spent their summers in Kingston, hooked on Love Island USA—a great incentive to go see a star from a favourite show. “We’d go to Brass to watch episodes,” Arfan shared. “Getting to see one of the biggest personas from this show in person felt unreal!”
Though Vans has moved on to his next college town, and Love Island USA is currently cooling off until next summer, it seems the cultural impact of the show can still be felt in Kingston.
And of course, Vans performing for Queen’s students is a great sign for the possible trajectory of Kingston nightlife. Who knows—maybe next year we’ll get host Ariana Madix herself mixing up specialty cocktails at The Queen’s Pub.
Tags
DJ, Love Island, Love Island USA, Music, Nic Vans, Nightlife, Stages Nightclub
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