It took me a while to find the venue, but I immediately knew I was at the right place after seeing bright, red lights coming through a doorway – which is completely fitting for Red Gate. It’s a large space that has graffiti and stickers all over the walls, and comfy couches which make it a nice space for people to mingle and relax in between acts. The red lights, alongside the alternative backdrop, set the stage for a very laid-back, chill night.

Deals was the first band that performed. It was my first time hearing their music, and I instantly fell in love. They played a mix of garage rock that intertwined wonderfully with the eccentric visuals on the screen behind them. The projection featured alien and human-like figures spinning in circles and dancing around. Needless to say, this added a trippy vibe to their fantastic music.

Pleasure Blimps came on next with a set of loud rock and punk tunes that effortlessly preserved the lively atmosphere. Although most of their songs are fast-paced, one of the slower songs felt like a welcomed summer breeze in comparison to the whirlwind that came before it.

After Pleasure Blimps was Be Afraid. I found it more difficult to hear their music clearly as I stood so close to the front, but they were still very enjoyable. Their instrumentals sounded great; however, as they started to get more and more passionate with each song, the drummer’s snare drum broke. Thankfully, one of the other bands lent them theirs, and they were able to play a couple more songs to continue the night.

Fake Fruit closed the night with their brand of loud, post-punk. The audience responded enthusiastically to each song, rounding out a solid evening of high-energy local music. Unfortunately, this was Fake Fruit’s final show because one of their members will be moving to another city, making the evening bittersweet.

All of these bands are incredible and absolutely deserve more exposure. You will definitely find me at their next show. It was an amazing night of pure indie, punk and rock and roll.