NU SENSAE at The Shop @ Parts and Labour, Wednesday, August 15. Rating: NNN
Vancouver punk trio Nu Sensae infused their hardcore fury with dreamy drones and melodies on their melancholically titled LP Sundowning, but in concert the emotional experience is decidedly less varied: the band is taut, intense and loud.
Taking the stage just after midnight, the band quickly locked in and kept the all-ages punk kids bashing about for 30 minutes. Those that chose to remain stationary mostly seemed mesmerized by Daniel Pitout, who’s impressively precise speed-freak drumming was the most visceral and captivating aspect of Nu Sensae’s show. Singer Andrea Lukic, meanwhile, zig-zagged between shrieks and menacing coos over her growling bass and Brody McKnight’s squalling guitar riffs.
Nu Sensae are one of those bands that manages to look as aloof as their sound is aggressive. Perhaps they were in mid-tour mode but the band set-up, performed and bid farewell with an almost mechanical efficiency that was satisfyingly ferocious but also somewhat anti-climactic.
