Laura McCullagh

Though poorly attended, Saturday night’s show at the Assembly showcased some first class rock from newcomers In Bloom, surf rockers Retro Dizzy and Joburg’s The Tazers and Hellcats. All of the bands had great energy and didn’t let the poor turnout faze them, which gave the night the feeling of a super cool private party.

It’s always a fun bonus when the drummer is also the lead vocalist, and that was the case for 2 out of the 4 acts (incidentally the first and last on the bill, In bloom and Hellcats). I found both of these bands particularly impressive, and since they were both new to me (I’d seen Hellcats just once before, 2 days prior at Aces where they were awesome) I found them especially exciting – it’s been way too long since I’ve been truly excited about ‘new’ local artists and it’s a feeling I have missed.

In the case of Hellcats, a power duo if ever there was one, their EP‘s been on repeat since the weekend, and think I’ve found my new favourite local act. I really hope people turn up the next time they come to town, because they sure missed out this time.

Here are some shots from the night.

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