Lounge, or perhaps because of the torrential downpour happening. The show started late, waiting for a crowd which never came as I rushed home to close my windows, and unfortunately missed Regina’s Royal Red Brigade.
I arrived in time to catch Victoria metal/ crust punk band Iskra.
The front-woman screamed and howled lyrics over a wall of huge, loud, heavy punishing guitar riffs and intense drums, which drowned out the thunder outside.
I was mostly there to see Regina’s Bats Out who provided plenty of more catchy oi punk which still seethed with heartland anger.
So there were slashing down-stroked guitar riffs and hot guitar solos reminiscent of the likes of Rancid and plenty of shout along gang vocals and quick bursts of feedback.
A mini-mosh pit started (there were only maybe a dozen people there, most of them band members), which quickly dissipated.
They played their new EP “ Flaying Blind,” including the catchy title track.
They dedicated “Rebel Rock Revolution” to the Royal Red Brigade and ended with their ode to Alberta “ Wild Rose.”
— By Richard Amery, L.A. Beat Editor
