Beauts Citadel High School, Halifax NS, July 9

Local noisemakers Beauts officially opened the main stage on Gridlock's second day (July 9), drawing an impressive early crowd and delivering a pristine, polished set of songs.
 
Providing an East Coast answer to Japandroids' celebratory rock'n'roll, the band blasted away any grogginess or lingering hangovers from the evening before with their sharp, layered sound — one that shouldn't have left listeners surprised when the members announced their affinity for the bill-sharing Beach Slang. They conjured up a delightful post-punk storm that combined an aggressive rhythm section, dual guitars bouncing off each other and forging melodic angles and attention-grabbing power vocals that proved a refreshing alternative to the trope of the gravelly-voiced, sing-shouting frontman.
 
There was endearing banter about the band members crying at Waxahatchee's early afternoon tear-jerking performance and plenty of gratitude for being included in the festival, though the between-song transitions felt a little too long and a little too awkward at times. That became easily forgivable, though, once Beauts launched into cuts off their excellent recent EP Waves/Wash like "Covers," "Ether" and the set-closing title track.
 

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