It had been just over two years since Australia’s Hockey Dad played Calgary and they returned triumphant on a headlining tour that saw them light up The Gateway into a Tuesday night rager. It may have been foggy and icy outside, but in front of a packed crowd, the Windang, New South Wales garage surf trio frothed 300+ kids into a frenzy.

True to their aesthetic, Hockey Dad’s set walked the fine line between control and chaos. Frontman Zach Stephenson worked the crowd without hardly a pause, ripping from one song to the next, cherry-picking the best bangers from Blend Inn (2018) and Boronia (2016). Fan favourites “I Wanna Be Everybody” and “Sweet Release,” in particular, brought flying, moshing bodies together in a sweaty, boozy whirlwind that threatened to fall apart in an instant.

Photo: Sebastian Buzzalino

Australian bands, DZ Deathrays and Horror My Friend, provided direct support. DZ Deathrays brought their dance punk vibes to a crowd that was clearly stoked to see their Canadian debut, while Horror My Friend introduced their moody, emo-tinged punk to Calgary. Local openers, Mademoiselle, kicked the night off with a short, spiky set of grungy garage punk that set the mood for a fun, raucous Tuesday night.