Sled Island Day Four: Palomino Show Reviews
By Daman Singh, July 2 2024—
The sun had set on Sled Island and people had made their way to the headliner show of their choice. If you were one of the many debating what set to pick because you just couldn’t miss Show Me The Body at the Legion, don’t fret because the Gauntlet took one for the team and skipped the guest curators to catch Kentucky rock trio Wombo at their sold out show downstairs at the Palomino.
The night began with the local rock piece Sunglaciers taking the stage and in a shocking reveal, only half the lineup was present. With only a guitarist and a drummer on stage, Evan Resnik and Mathieu Blanchard set the bar high for the following performances that night. The duo’s appearance comes following their March release Regular Nature and the album is a beauty to listen to live. With their intricately constructed dance-rock sound and elements of post-punk guitar and new-wave synths, Sunglaciers were one of the best sets in the festival and a testament to the creatives of the city.
Following Sunglaciers, my favourite discovery from the festival this year took the stage. Neighbourly is an excellent indie rock act from Victoria, BC. The highlight of their set was the eccentric performances the members put on stage. Performing their latest release, “Rana Toro”, the band gave out a reptile mask to a volunteer in the audience before splitting the crowd in half to start a dance pit. The band’s funky blend of psychedelic with indie playfulness created an atmosphere of amazing energy that transcended the audience in the dance pit.
Coming from Montreal, Sunforger was the last of the night’s opening acts. The trio took on the stage with their grunge-y shoegaze sound and put the crowd in a trance. Sunforger’s self-titled 2023 release showcases the trio’s mastery of their sound. This 10-track souvenir is a gorgeous continuation of their previous work and sets the band up for greatness in the Canadian music scene.
Wombo took the stage last and boy, they were worth the wait. The trio from Kentucky brought their art rock-meets-punk sound to the festival lineup and packed the halls. Everyone pushed their way to find a good view of the bassist and vocalist Sydney Chadwick. Chadwick took the stage with her charming looks and angelic vocals and the experience spoke for itself.
Wombo’s last release Slab is an ethereal punk rock trip that is gorgeous live. Chadwick’s distorted bass-driven rhythm paired with the strong guitars was a brilliant foundation for the dreamy vocals. Their set felt as if shoegaze vocals had met the post-punk grooves of the early 2000s.
Chadwick was a brilliant frontwoman and as former Visuals Editor of the Gauntlet Valery Perez noted, “God is a woman”.
While all the hype of the festival was at the guest curators on June 22, Wombo and friends put on a show so worth fighting through the crowds to get to the front.