Saturday night was a time for rock and roll in the front room of The Cobra Nashville.

Helping us in this endeavor underneath the red lights were NashLive! veterans Borrowed Sparks — who have joined us plenty of times in both in-person and virtual settings — and the shoegazey stylings of Uplander.

What’s particularly noteworthy about Uplander is that this was their first show as a band. Ever. Even so, the four-piece sounded like a well-oiled machine during a half hour set that brought the volume to Cobra. Fronted by Riley Haynie, the band combined alternative rock with goth and new wave influences for a powerful, emotionally gripping set rife with youthful exuberance.

Borrowed Sparks followed with a strong, hour-long set that flexed their collective rock and roll muscles. The band — the brainchild of singer-songwriter Mike Bay — has been working on new material, playing a handful of unreleased cuts and covered alongside the tunes that comprise their 2020 record, The Prettiest One Left.

Want more? NashLive! has got more. In fact, A Night of Nashville Hip Hop II comes to Cobra this Friday. Tickets are available here.

Meanwhile, check out the views from Saturday!