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This past Friday, as a warm, summery evening gave way to an unexpected downpour, fans of Chicago’s angsty indie upstart Friko packed into the Pearl for a dynamic night of noisy rock.

It was the first stop on Friko’s west coast tour, originally set to feature New York-based trio Youbet as openers. Unfortunately, due to the United States’ regressive policies around gender markers on passports, Youbet made the last-minute decision to withdraw from the Vancouver show—citing safety concerns at the border. That left Friko scrambling for replacements, and lucky for us, they tapped two compelling local acts: Delta’s post-punk Dour and local orchestral indie rockers Hope Slide.

Dour opened the night by pushing the Pearl’s sound system to its absolute limit, rivaling the decibel peaks set by Deafheaven just a week prior. While many regretted skipping earplugs at coat check, the music itself offered no reason to complain. The four-piece deftly combined swirling, heavy gloom-core textures with hypnotic, propulsive rhythms—delivering a set as punishing as it was immersive.

Next up was Hope Slide, a Vancouver-based quintet whose name recalls the tragic 1965 landslide along the Crowsnest Highway. True to that sense of looming disaster, the band leans into lush, emotionally charged arrangements that harken back to the early 2000s heyday of baroque indie (think Broken Social Scene, Hey Rosetta!, and early Arcade Fire at its most discordant). Despite the absence of regular violinist Elena Massing, a more-than-capable stand-in added emotional weight to the group’s sprawling soundscapes.

Highlights included “Manchester by the Sea,” a gorgeous slow-build that paired stirring piano and eerie bow strings with frontman Calvin Jay’s progressively aching vocals. The song from Hope Slide’s recent EP Love Your Crooked Neighbour With Your Crooked Heart is as mournful as its namesake film. On “Something Changed,” Hope Slide channeled the Walkmen at their peak, transforming jangle-pop intimacy into a soaring, cathartic plea for forgiveness. The sound was massive, at times feeling like twice as many players were on stage. The band mentioned that its songs are written collaboratively, drawing on the classical backgrounds of various members. Hope Slide expressed their excitement for being able to share stage with Friko, a band they loved.

And when Friko took the stage, the love from the crowd was palpable. The Chicago rockers exploded into their set with the energy of a buzz-band aware of their upward trajectory.

Friko soon launched into breakout single “Crimson to Chrome” as a crowd of mostly twenty-somethings chanted back that they were “too old, too bold, or too stupid to move.” Touring as a foursome, led by core duo Niko Kapetan and Bailey Minzenberger, Friko layered on the reverb and debuted several new tracks not found on their acclaimed 2024 debut Where We’ve Been, Where We Go from Here.

Friko’s new material is… even noisier—shimmering guitars layered into walls of catharsis that add grit and urgency to their already emotive sound. While its album leans into some of the same 2000s indie influences that shape Hope Slide, the newer songs feel brighter and more punk-inflected.

Kapetan toned down the trembling vocal delivery that defined the record, but the comparison to Bright Eyes’ Conor Oberst was still apparent. Like Oberst’s band in its heyday, Friko blends reverb, solemnity, and sing-along choruses into climaxes that hit hard. Set highlight “Where We’ve Been” was a prime example. With minimal banter, the band conveyed its gratitude through frequent blown kisses into the mics—a charming and memorable touch.

By the time Friko launched into the anthemic “Get Numb to It,” the once-stationary crowd was pulsing and swaying. Turns out they weren’t too old, bold, or stupid to move—they just needed a little time to feel the noise.