My laptop shakes as I write this. There isn’t an earthquake. I am not on a SkyTrain. I am simply listening to Trauma Bonds by High Vis. I can already feel the pulsating energy as the music comes through my laptop speakers. My volume isn’t even on high, yet the drums, the guitar the vocals are echoing through the space. One can only imagine what it will feel like to experience it live. They are coming to the Rickshaw theatre on September 23rd, with a bond that’s anything but traumatic. They are performing with Cold Gawd, A Mourning Star, and Juice, with the last two hailing from Vancouver. All the bands carry with them similar vibes. They are rebellious, they have an anger within their music, and they are all going to shake that stage up.
Juice is known for performing energetic music that has a sound that is just as infectious as it is aggressive. Mourning Star is a five-piece metalcore band that was formed in 2021. Guess some good things came out after COVID.
(Rickshaw Theatre / eventbrite)
High Vis is a musician from different hardcore bands. I like to think of them like how we go from elementary school to suddenly all funneling into one high school kinda band. They all did their own thing, then they got together to create something EPIC. They are really a grassroots band. Their name is a nod to “high visibility clothing” because some of their members have a working-class past. They take inspiration from punk, indie rock, psychedelic music, and many other genres. And they are from London, and you know those English accents make everything better.
Cold Gawd is known for their live shows because they put in a lot of effort with the lighting, the setting, and samples to ensure the audience gets the best sound. They, like much of our generation, detest labels because their music is derived from anything and everything. The lyrics are written by Matthew Wainwright and are based on his personal experiences. Their genre is mixing shoegaze, post hardcore, and R&B, but they are also inspired by pop icons like SZA. So, when a band is doing all that, you know the music is good. Their album, “I’ll Drown on this earth”, was heavily praised by critics and audiences alike because it’s got a dreamlike quality with pop and sound distortion elements.
(Rolly Ford Photo / Flickr)
The venue placement is so perfect for the type of music that’s going to be played that night. Rickshaw Theatre is right in the middle of Chinatown. Walking through Chinatown, you are already feeling the hum of those lights, the chatter of a busy street slowly fades away, and all you hear is the thumping coming from the theatre. It’s almost like a black hole pulling you closer, your curiosity getting the better of you. For some reason, I think going to this show might work better than those rage rooms. The collective sway of bodies, the yelling of lyrics, and the exertion of energy are going to leave you feeling so refreshed the next day. Everyone should let out their rebellious side sometimes, and this is your chance.