Puberty Well
Upon walking into the Casa Del Popolo venue, my best friend and I were met with Puberty Well up on stage to get the night started. They were playing “Thank You,” one of my favourite songs off their 2025 album, The Nature of Love.
I’ve seen Puberty Well play a few times now, and they never disappoint! They’re all incredible musicians who play super well together, have fantastic energy up on stage, and have great charisma with their audience. Their productions are really fun to dance around to at their live shows too, which is important to my personal opinions.
There are many things that I find beautiful at a live show, and one I always treasure is trans people in a mosh pit clashing into each other. That is a guaranteed sight when going to a Puberty Well show!
Noun
The next band up on stage was Noun, and as soon as my friend and I heard the singer’s voice, we agreed that she sounded exactly like Marissa Paternoster from Screaming Females. It was so identical that we just had to look it up and discovered that it actually is her! Noun is her solo project and has been recording as such since 2004.
Noun had a really fun and interesting sound. Two other musicians performed with Paternoster: a drummer who stood in front of a minimal kit (floor tom, ride, crash, and a tambourine), along with a synth player.
Their set progressively got more and more lively, intensifying in emotion with every song. Eventually, the synth player switched to bass, and the drummer took the throne at the full kit in the back of the stage. It was at that point that each song got heavier. Paternoster’s unique and entrancing voice took the room by the throat. The power in her voice moved me so greatly I started thinking about why I love live music so much. How great it feels to be able to witness such passion and talent with my own eyes and ears.
Gladie
Finally, the time came for Gladie to begin their set. Right off the bat, they had really great energy. They started their set with “Push Me Down,” the opening track off their 2026 album No Need To Be Lonely. The crowd instantly began dancing around, ready to match the band’s energy.
They had really great charisma as well. They interacted with their audience and cracked jokes and spoke about how much they love Montreal as well. Their bassist used to live in the city for a good while! They also gave their compliments to Puberty Well’s merch, which, if you look it up, you’ll know exactly which shirt they were talking about. It’s a fantastic shirt that I certainly own!
Gladie’s setlist consisted mainly of songs from their latest album, such as “Brace Yourself,” “Fix Her,” “Lucky For Another,” and “Car Alarm.” They made sure to bring us back to 2022 and performed songs like “Nothing,” “Hit the Ground Running,” “Mud,” and “Born Yesterday.” All from their album Don’t Know What You’re in Until You’re Out.
Much like for the previous two bands that played, the crowd was lively and danced along to each song. The night was filled with excellent vibes, good friends, and great music! Gladie put on a great show, and I hope to be able to see them perform again if they make their way back to Montreal.
Review – Jamie Siddall
Photos – Simon Wellwood
