A rising product of Ottawa's current garage rock fixation, Nightshades christened Arboretum Festival's warehouse stage with a short set of roaring originals that, while sharing a good amount of sameness, were able to showcase the growth of the three-piece since their inception. Sporting a new bass player with the departure of Sarah Grant, Tyler Roy held down a gnarling low end with a number of active basslines in supporting the relentless riffing of Mallory Giles.
Looking past Giles' crunchy, driving six-sting attack, the number of cuts from this year's Wendy EP that dominated the setlist gave the audience a bit more to chew on lyrically in comparison to their 2014 effort The Beauty of Dreaming, highlighted by the lingering darkness of "Elevator Eyes" and a look at innocence faded with "Teenage Fool." The breakneck drumming of Geoff Clarke may have had some wondering if the trio would become victims of their own speediness, but an impressive display of stamina despite the heat of the warehouse ensured that didn't happen.
Looking past Giles' crunchy, driving six-sting attack, the number of cuts from this year's Wendy EP that dominated the setlist gave the audience a bit more to chew on lyrically in comparison to their 2014 effort The Beauty of Dreaming, highlighted by the lingering darkness of "Elevator Eyes" and a look at innocence faded with "Teenage Fool." The breakneck drumming of Geoff Clarke may have had some wondering if the trio would become victims of their own speediness, but an impressive display of stamina despite the heat of the warehouse ensured that didn't happen.