Bejalvin
I will admit, I went into this show completely blind. I had barely listened to any of Lip Critic’s stuff before entering the venue, and I was very pleasantly surprised!
First up for the night was Bejalvin, an experimental hyperpop duo from Minneapolis. Their set was electric, and an incredible opener for the night. They both had great energy on stage, dancing and jumping around to their creative and aggressive beats.
The vocals were bone-chilling, distorted fry screams and low growls that added so much depth to each track. Every track was completely unpredictable, and I loved every bit of it, even when it got absolutely weird, like in BRAIN INCINERATION, for example. I couldn’t get enough, and was quite sad to see them go! Hoping they find their way back to Montreal in the future, in the meantime I will have their 2026 released album PLANETARY DEVASTATION on repeat for a good while!
Flatwounds
Right off the bat, Flatwounds’ frontman began demanding the crowd move up towards the stage. Once the audience was close enough, he and the rest of his band got started on their set. We were immediately met with a hard rock vibe, and Flatwounds delivered fantastic energy throughout their performance. The crowd listened to the constant instructions that were being given to them. Whether they were told to jump or begin moshing, they complied. Flatwounds’ set certainly got the crowd hyped up for Lip Critic, especially since their frontman kept calling them the best band in the world!
Their set brought up the anticipation for this headliner quite a bit.
Lip Critic
Much like Flatwounds, Lip Critic’s Bret Kaser’s first order of business was to call the audience closer to him, and demand they shake ass. The crowd instantly began dancing and moshing once the music started.
I was amazed to see two drummers up on stage playing full kits! The energy in the room was so intoxicating, so many people were dancing as hard as they could, moshing into one another with passion.
Lip Critic’s unique electropuck sound was so incredibly interesting, I seriously could not get enough. Kaser’s vocals kind of reminded me of Danny Brown’s, exaggerated and slightly nasally. It was clear that Lip Critic’s fans are serious about their passion for this band. I kid you not when I say they did not stop moving for even a second, especially when Kaser requested a circle pit to be started up, yelling, “I wanna see this whole room look like the inside of a washing machine. I mean SPIN god damn it!”
This was a performance I was so glad to have seen, and I will definitely be sure to try and see Lip Critic perform again! If you missed this one, I really recommend catching them next time! These guys are true performers!
Review – Jamie Siddall
Photos – Andres Amaya
