Despite legions of bands currently tearing through the festival circuit, the lure of Bristol’s floating venue, Thekla, remains strong. The beloved boat is still more than capable of delivering exhilarating midweek entertainment. Bella Union’s new recruits, La Sécurité—a Canadian dance-punk group from Montreal promising a funky treat—headlined Wednesday’s show. Kicking things off, however, was a double dose of local support.
A sense of mild déjà vu set in as The New Cut opened the night—just as they had when Cone caught them at Thekla for Dot To Dot Festival back in May. Once again, their angular rhythms and Bloc Party-esque riffs impressed, with the four-piece sounding tighter and more confident than ever. Many in the crowd already knew tracks like “Valuable Customer,” while Bristol legend Big Jeff danced with a huge grin plastered across his face. Without doubt, The New Cut remain one of the city’s most promising acts.
Next up was MOULD, and quite frankly, who all but melted my face off with sheer passion. Fun enough on record, the trio transformed into a different beast—an onslaught of exploding cymbals and pounding basslines, trading in erratic stop-start fury that evoked At The Drive-In colliding with Fugazi. Their unapologetic racket, laced with clever guitar work and sharp lyrics, came dangerously close to upstaging the main event. Personally, I can’t wait to catch them again.
With the local acts in particularly fine form, La Sécurité needed to bring their A-game to keep pace. Fortunately, they delivered. Their mischievous charm, atmospheric guitars, and killer basslines made for a potent mix, as the Montreal five-piece radiated an infectious sense of fun. Running through bangers like “Detour” and “Le Kick,” their blend of post-punk wiriness and disco-tinged grooves quickly had Thekla bobbing along, even if the energy never quite hit its ceiling.
Sensing this herself, singer Éliane Viens-Synnott leapt off the stage mid-set to spark a mini mosh pit, instantly shaking things up. After climbing back up and untangling a hopelessly knotted mic cable—laughing, “I made a mess! Lots of spaghetti!”—she completely shifted the vibe. From that moment, La Sécurité doubled down, the crowd loosened up, and Thekla turned into a sweaty, bouncing dancefloor. Clothes came off, smiles stretched wider, and the performance hit its sweet spot, riding a wave of escalating energy right to the end.
Suddenly, the band’s 45 minutes were over in a flash — proof that time really does fly when you’re having fun. Whatever they’re putting in the water over there, it’s working. This was the second Montreal dance-punk band I’ve caught this year—the brilliant Choses Sauvages, who also share bassist Félix, being the other. Both delivered nothing short of excellent sets. La Sécurité’s intriguing cocktail of ’70s grooves, early-80s post-punk jaggedness, and a healthy dose of indie sleaze made for a heady, irresistible mix.
Equal parts cool and chaotic, theirs is a sound that feels retro yet completely fresh. With a sophomore album on the horizon, you can bet this won’t be the last time they leave Bristol grinning and drenched.
