March 31st at The Regent wasn't just a chaotically fun night with a lot of energy - it was also a night of sass with bands that aren't afraid to poke fun at themselves and say what they think. Mclusky headlined with support from Ekko Astral. I went in blind, not knowing either of these bands, and came out pleasantly surprised by how amazing the show was.

Ekko Astral started off their set with witty banter. They introduced their songs in a playful and comedic way - one of those songs being “Sandler '36,” which is about Adam Sandler becoming the next president. I also really respected them for speaking up about things going on in the world, like how important trans rights are and the wars going on.

It was also cool seeing how the lead singer moved around on stage and interacted with the rest of the band. One of their most emotionally impactful songs was “Horseglue,” which served as a reminder that the current state of the world is not OK and that things need to change.

Ekko Astral is one of those bands you can tell creates an impact with their music and cares about the community.

Mclusky brought their British humor and hardcore energy into their set. One of their running jokes was claiming to be the band Kings of Leon. Another was a joke making fun of Eric Clapton. Through Mclusky's humor, you could tell they really are for the people - they keep their set entertaining so everyone has a good time.

Their setlist consisted of songs such as “Lightsabre,” “Without MSG I’m Nothing,” “Collagen Rock,” “What We’ve Learned,” “Unpopular Parts of a Pig,” “As a Dad,” “Who You Know,” and “The Battle of Los Angelsea” - and many more songs that largely comment on the state of society. Their music calls things out in a hardcore and dad-rock kind of way. It brings nostalgia for earlier rock music, and they are a band I could easily see touring with Nirvana if Kurt Cobain were still around. While that is not an option, who knows - maybe Kings of Leon might hit them up.

I love that they were not afraid to talk about the corruption of politicians through their music. Their music is brave and blunt, and it makes you feel more confident and ready to take on the world. I also really loved their song “The Battle of Los Angelsea” - and, believe it or not, the extra “a” is supposed to be there; they made a joke about it. They also made a joke about America's love for encores, and something about time not being linear, so in a sense it felt like whatever song you wanted to view as the encore was the encore. It wasn't a traditional encore, but that made it exciting.

Walking in, I didn't expect to enjoy the music as much as I did - in fact, my expectations were heavily surpassed. It was a night that you just had to be there to experience. Both bands were amazing, and the British really do know how to rock. Mclusky makes you want to visit the UK, and to see them several more times. The future with these bands will be an exciting one.