PUNK'S NOT DEAD AT THE RMF

Aly Beach

The Chronicle

Punk proved it was alive and well on Friday. The Atria, an Oshawa bar, was packed as people gathered to see the punk showcase of the Reel Music Festival.

Pickering band Sight By City kicked off the night with their song “This Time.” They performed new songs and some old ones. The band also covered Green Day’s iconic “American Idiot.”

 They also announced they plan to release a new EP soon, and have just finished recording it.

They performed, “Run Away,” a song the lead vocalist called a “lovey-dovey” song.

“[I was] told to write a nice song and this is what we came away with,” he said. 

Toronto’s Crisis Ctrl Club provided a mixed-style performance with impressive vocals, keyboard, guitar and drums. The beats of their songs had some audience members dancing. They told the crowd they have a new LP coming out soon.

Excuses Excuses took the stage, and had the crowd enthused with their energetic show and stage presence. The passionate Oshawa-based band played songs of their latest EP including “The Outsider.”

They ended their set with a song called “Is that what you meant?”

“It’s about following your dreams and not listening to what anyone tells you,” said lead vocalist Kyle Wilton.

Next, pop-punk band Matlock Expressway took the stage, giving fans a taste of early 2000s pop punk. The band played songs off their 2016 EP Why is This Time Any Different. They also covered Avril Lavigne’s iconic song “Complicated.”

The crowd sang along, and some started a punk mosh pit.

Matlock Expressway finished their set with seemingly fan-favourite “Same Old Weekend.”

“There’s nowhere else I’d rather be on a Friday night,” said lead vocalist Justin Dileo.

Toronto band Sparrows, which describes its sound as “spacy punk post-whatever” closed the show. They had a heavier style than the other bands, but the crowd got involved with moshing and dancing.

“Oh, Oshawa,” said lead vocalist Dan Thompson. “You never let me down. I love it.”

Sparrows is signed to New Damage Records.

New Damage Records is a Toronto record label, specializing in heavy and alternative rock. It has signed many notable bands including Architects, Cancer Bats, Counterparts, Northlane, Seaway, Silverstein, and Vices.

Atria bartender Carley Morris said the punk show was a good change of pace.

 “It was good,” said Morris. “It’s different than the usual stuff we have.”

You can find the punk showcase bands’ music on Spotify and iTunes. Sight By City, Matlock Expressway and Sparrows are also available on bandcamp.com.