NOTE: All photos are copyright of Howard Shiau Photography 2025
In late 2019, I had just started to get into The Regrettes’ sophomore album “How Do You Love?” after kicking myself for missing their show in NYC. I was hoping for another tour in 2020 but, unfortunately, that was not to be. However, the band stayed busy during the lockdown, releasing two stand-alone singles “What Am I Gonna Do Today?” (exactly what all of us were thinking during that time) and “I Love Us”. But then it was radio silence for a year. Turns out they were busy hunkered down in Joshua Tree working on a new record. After releasing “Monday” and “You’re So Fucking Pretty” in 2021, their latest single “That’s What Makes Me Love You” was released today (March 4, 2022) as they also announced their upcoming LP “Further Joy”. On Wednesday, they stopped by the Rec Room in Buffalo for a previously postponed show and I was happy to finally see this incredible young band!
Opening for the Regrettes was Philadelphia-based pop band Kississippi with frontwoman Zoe Allaire Reynolds providing the vocals and a ton of personality. The crowd of mostly college students were quickly won over and enjoyed an easy banter with the the band.
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With the crowd already prepared to party after Kississippi, The Regrettes took the stage to much fanfare. Many of those in the crowd had seen the band when they performed in Buffalo back in 2019 and were die-hard fans. And why not? The members of this band are adorable! You have real life Barbie doll lead singer Lydia Knight, guitarist Genessa Gariano looking like a young Jane Wiedlin, bassist Brooke Dickson reminding me of Nancy Wilson, and Jude Law look-alike Drew Thomsen on drums! But it’s the music and lyrics that stood out, with the crowd singing along to every song! Knight definitely knows how to work the room. When she sings, she engages with the fans and it feels like she’s singing to you. That worked especially well for “You’re So Fucking Pretty”! We were encouraged to form a dance circle in the middle of the floor and party. One fan was even brought on stage to play guitar on “Seashore”! He was perfect, amazing the crowd and even the band! After playing the last song (wink wink from Knight) on the setlist with “More Than a Month”, they came back to close the show with “You’re So Fucking Pretty” and “Poor Boy”.
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While I would have previously said The Regrettes’ sound was a combination of 60s girl band, pop, and garage punk, if the tracks off their new record are any indication, they’ve clearly moved more towards pop. That being said, their direct lyrics speak to their fans even as their sound evolves. The band has just announced some new tour dates for 2022 so grab your friends and go see them!
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