The buzz was palpable. It may have been the hum coming over the speakers throughout a night that included four bands and performers where the 90’s alt influence could be felt, or it may have been the line the stretched wrapping around the Holland Project before the show began.
For Reno’s Bug Bath, the set included opening with the entirety of their new World Of Fools EP, five songs that see the band playing with more of a meandering pensive groove working through their usual sound where the sonic influence of alt rock groups like Pixies or Guided By Voices is clear. The band’s six members filled out the Holland Project stage while a capacity crowd filled the room. It should be noted that the Holland Project’s audience is consistently the most positive room for performances, and on this night the center of the floor would cheer wildly between fits of dancing.
The band’s 10 song set seemed to race by, with the addition of old songs reworked and rounded out with the group’s current six member lineup, and raucous applause refusing to let the band pack up before closing out with an encore of a couple more songs.
Aside from Bug Bath’s EP release, the show was the first in a West Coast string of dates spanning two weeks with the band touring along with Seattle’s Sun Spots.
Sun Spots’ upbeat distortion was immediately met by an approving crowd. The group has a sound that leans toward the catchier end of 90’s bands in the vein of Hole or a more gloom-infused distortion-heavy Veruca Salt mixed with 2000’s melodic post-hardcore complimented by lead vocalist Kailey’s chorus-laden lyrics.
Catchy with a timid aggression, Sun Spots’ egoless rock resonated well inside the rooms’ intimate setting.
Reno locals, Charity Kiss, had elements of faux western 90’s alt rock, mixing an energetic stage presence with a mix of high energy and contrastingly mellow songs. The front of the standing room only crowd swooned throughout the band’s set.
Opening act Frank Futility is the solo project of Gina Hoàng, playing bedroom pop with a foot placed firmly onto the distortion pedal. The short set was received warmly by the crowd.
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