A beer to the wind and already planning to head to the Biltmore in a few hours, I agreed without a second thought when asked to review this show. Ghost House and Hermetic are a couple of my favourite bands in Vancouver, and I was stoked to check out the SSRIs. Armed with only an iPhone camera and a good friend, we arrived part way through Hermetic’s set, to a respectable crowd who were enjoying themselves! Bart Newman and Eric Axen played some good tunes and praised the extra sweaty few who were dancing along. My love of minimalism extends to music—Hermetic’s stripped down combination of drums and baritone guitar leaves room for the ears to rest without leaving you wanting more. Their music makes me think of a handful of my all-time faves, without trying to imitate them. It’s a pretty great combination.

After a quick break Ghost House took the stage. This band is made up of a solid group of people who both write and play great music, and I’ve always been a huge fan of Katie Lapi’s guitar playing. Wielding my tiny camera, I took photos as I listened. Everyone—including myself—was having a good time! The Biltmore is a comfortable venue (not too small) and has decent sound most nights. It’s definitely a favourite at the moment. After Ghost House, the SSRIs played to a hot and sweaty crowd of loyal music fans. This was the first time I had seen them play, but it won’t be the last!