The show on September 15th at the 648 Kingsway, promoted on the poster as “CAN YOU DEFEAT THESE FOES?” featured a killer lineup, a ton of energy, and a fantastic poster to boot.
 
Pop punk band The Arbuckles opened the night with an energetic and electrifying performance which got the blood flowing and the energy up for the rest of the night. They were followed by Dreampunk band Pale North from North Delta, whose impassioned vocals blended beautifully with powerful drumming and guitar beats to create an atmosphere that was both furious yet melodic. Much befitting the name of Pale North, watching them invokes the feeling of watching a polar bear hunt its prey, with a performance that delivers equal parts power and grace. The third act was a particular treat, as we had Beebomb, a Riot Pop band performing here all the way from the UK (The birthplace of punk subculture!). The crowd responded to the jovial, sunny exuberance of the three-person act by dancing and moshing hard.
 
I must admit, I have an emotional connection to fourth and final act Transistor Riot. I discovered them at a time when I wanted to find trans community outside of myself, and attending their shows gave me just that. I find them to be consistently exhilarating, and today was of course no exception. They delivered a terrific synthpunk performance that, no matter how many times I see them perform, never fails to leave me eager for more, and much of the crowd that I spent the night dancing away with seemed to feel the same. While there were a ton of skilled performers this night, I have to give a particular shoutout to Brie, who performed drums for both Pale North and Transistor Riot. An incredible display of endurance.
 
In all, this was a fantastic lineup of punk music and I am anxious to see any of these acts perform again. I highly recommend following these artists and the 648 Kingsway social media accounts for more upcoming showtimes.
 
Photo featuring Riley of Transistor Riot performing, with credit to JT Photos.