Clorox Girls / The Tranzmitors / Red Dons / B-Lines

Though a scarcity of quality venues plagues Vancouver’s independent punk scene, Pat’s Pub continues to put on some of the city’s finest shows. Located in the heart of the notorious Downtown Eastside, the venue combines the unpretentious rowdiness of house shows with the decent sound quality of a rock club. Playing with the vigour of a band in their prime, it’s hard to believe this was the first show for local heroes B-Lines. Their sound — a stripped-down, angular punk rock with small doses of melody — was enhanced by the antics of their towering lead singer, whose shaggy hair nearly hit the ceiling as he performed. With so much potential already realised, there is no question that B-Lines will be a band to watch out for. Following suit, Portland’s Red Dons kept the momentum going with sloppier anthems that were just as fun. Featuring ex-members of the Observers and current members of Clorox Girls, Red Dons’ songs were catchy and epic. Following their set, some anarcho-punks from the U.S. set up a drum kit in the parking lot and performed a mini-set that included, bizarrely, two Smash Mouth covers, before getting shut down by the venue. It was then time for the Tranzmitors, who have a stage presence similar to a band like Cheap Trick in their prime, complete with epic guitar solos and infectious sing-alongs. Sampling cuts from their upcoming full-length on Deranged, as well as favourites from their numerous seven-inches, the Tranzmitors’ set ran a little long, but was a blast nonetheless. Recent BYO signees Clorox Girls took the stage after midnight, but they certainly didn’t seem tired. Instead, they attacked their songs with tons of energy, inevitably getting hopes up for their upcoming J’aime Les Filles full-length. It was a blast to watch, and perfectly capped another fine night at Pat’s Pub.