The Tractor Tavern is a very aptly named bar. Edison lights hang from the ceiling, paintings of farmland and tractors cover the walls, there’s a string of cowboy boots between the bar and stage areas, and there’s a couple giant tractor tires mounted on the wall. It seemed odd to me, then, that this was the location for an evening of pop/rock from Bad Saint, The Landmarks, The Regrets, and Cold Comfort. Yet, there I was, surrounded by 150 or so fellow concertgoers lit by a soft orange glow from the Christmas lights strung around the venue.

Bad Saint kicked off the evening, and they stole the show before it really even had a chance to begin. Three songs into the set, Bad Saint was steadily rocking their early 70’s influences. It was refreshing to hear updated versions of classic rock; singer Tess Freedel crooned about modern times, love, and Tinder dates. Their last song was a cover that confirmed suspicions about their influences: a very well-done version of CCR’s “Fortunate Son” got the crowd singing along to the beat, and their set left me yearning for more.

The Landmarks followed Bad Saint, and they could best be described as a swarm of butterflies infesting a cloud. The first thing their singer did on stage was ask for more reverb, and boy, was there reverb. Ebbing from the stage, it made the cozy Tavern feel like a giant underground cave, more spacious than the walls appeared. Their set had a synthetic feel, more pop than anything, yet not quite mainstream.

Next up was The Regrets — who have been described on Twitter as “a giant beehive inside of a pile of dry hay” (but more accurate would be “Cali surf-rock with a tinge of grunge:” 50 percent happy-go-lucky, 50 percent rocker, and 100 percent fun). They’ve been playing together for the last three years, and their comfort level on the stage was off the charts. At this point in the night, the crowd cozied up to the stage, and The Regrets made sure everybody was feeling the warmth. Their guitarist, Brockton Gates, danced across the stage all night while the band pumped out jam after jam.

The Regrets — regretfully — had to leave the stage to pave way for Cold Comfort, but once Cold Comfort started playing, the vibe immediately picked back up. I was reminded of Two Door Cinema Club. TDCC and Cold Comfort share a similar-sounding lead guitar: a higher-pitched, country-leaning, twangy timbre that’s definitely still pop when combined with the rest of the band. Cold Comfort got the crowd jumping, cheering, and singing along. They definitely put on a show worth seeing.

By Chace Davy