Bend Sinister recently played an intimate outdoor show at Anián, in support of their latest single Walk The Other Way (released the very same day). The beer was flowing and the wind was blowing, but that didn’t seem to stop everyone in attendance from having a great, albeit very chilly, time.
Opening up the night was Vancouver-based rock band Wooden Horsemen, playing a solid folk-infused set. Lovecoast hit the stage next, drawing on material from their first EP as well as new tracks from their yet-to-be-released full length album.
Frontwoman Danielle Sweeney charmed the crowd and made sure everybody was warming up enough for the breezy atmosphere and what was yet to come.
It’s been a few years since I’ve seen Bend Sinister play; the most recent being at Tall Tree 2015 with a highly energetic and frantic set on the main stage. Their set at Anián seemed a little bit more subdued, perhaps due to the cozier atmosphere and smaller stage. Regardless, the audience was happy to see them, dancing at the front with beers in hand. They played an upbeat set, keeping smiles on faces all night long.
For those brave enough to withstand the uncharacteristically windy mid-August evening, this show was a treat. As Bend Sinister have just signed to local label Cordova Bay Records, I anticipate we’ll be seeing a lot more of them here in Victoria. If you missed this show, you can catch them playing the Friday night of Rifflandia 2017 alongside Youngblood, Spaceboots and Five Alarm Funk at Sugar Nightclub.
