I had to check my watch to make sure what day it was, May 25, when I arrived to a sold out Monday night show featuring some killer pop and rock with Repartee, the Gay Nineties and Zerbin.
I arrived at the end of St. John’s Newfoundland band Repartee’s set of bubbly pop rock.
Lead singer Meg Warren reminded me a little of Grace Potter and the Nocturnals’ more dance pop influence. A few members of the Gay Nineties joined them on stage to help sing gang vocals with them.
The Gay Nineties, who have been getting a lot of radio play in the new rock station The Bridge, have worked hard and it showed in the huge crowd there to cheer them on for their fourth Lethbridge appearance in just over a year. They started with their hit “Hold Your Fire” and immediately got half the room full of new faces, on their feet. They were singing along with the other single “ Letterman.”
They were reminiscent of late ’90s early 2000's bands like the Darkness and the Killers with a touch of R and B, ’70s David Bowie and even a touch of the Dudes.
They were all about having a good time and showed it in their performance which the audience was really responding to.
They had plenty of addictive guitar hooks and subtle keyboards, plus plenty of jokes and flashing lights.
Zerbin was all about percussion in their hot, sweaty set.
Frontman Jason Zerbin pounded away at a Kaoss pad, keyboard, snare drum and whatever else he could hit in addition to thrashing away on the guitar.
Peter Mol sat back adding subtle rhythms on the other guitar while drummer John Foster was a blur behind his full kit.
Together they played an addictive set of ’80s style pop rock which sounded like the Pet Shop Boys on steroids.
They had an addictive sound, with plenty of toe tapping drums and catchy melodies and plenty of music from their new CD “Darling.”
“Ibiza” was a highlight as was the new single “World’s On Fire” which came near the end of the set.
They had a lot of lyrics about Europe and a whole lot of good vibes.
For the last song, “ New Earth,” all three bands joined them on stage in a giant kitchen party of banging, crashing, singing and shouting along, bringing a Monday night to a rollicking finish.