The Bronx / Single Mothers, The Garage, 16 February

Ontario's Single Mothers have often been compared to The Hold Steady – mainly due to vocalist Andrew Thomson's vivid, half-spoken narratives – but there's an unmistakeably youthful, post-hardcore energy to their sound which tops off the seedy subject matter nicely. With only two brief E.P.'s under their belt, they've still got a way to go in carving out their own unique identity, but tonight the appeal is instant, and their onstage dominance wins over an impressed crowd.

The Bronx have an infamous live reputation to live up to. Thankfully, they don't seem keen on dropping it anytime soon. Surprisingly, the fresh tunes from the band's fourth self-titled album go down just as well as older live staples like Heart Attack American and History's Stranglers; the stompy rock 'n roll of The Unholy Land as well as the ridiculously anthemic Too Many Devils are done more justice here than on record.

The rhythm section are serviceable, focusing their attention on remaining tight and consistent, leaving the showmanship aspect to frontman Matt Caughthran. He remains persistently vocal, crowning himself Head of Security and encouraging the “real punk rockers” to jump the barrier, crowd-surf and generally rock out. His ego is both a blessing and a curse; the between-song rambling begins to get tedious, but his enthusiasm is key in keeping spirits high. The pros ultimately outweigh the cons: most in attendance this evening will agree that their recent penchant for Mexican folk hasn't turned them soft.