Negative Association and Black Pontiac Share the Stage and Ambitions

By Mia Thomas

Photography by Ellyn Pillers and Mungo

The Holland Project on Sept. 1, was packed wall to wall with a crowd ready to lose themselves in live music. Reno’s Negative Association, a rock ‘n’ roll five-piece, kicked the show off with chemistry you could feel radiating off them as they performed.

 “We speak our own language,” Lola Anderson says when talking about their stage performance. Negative Association started the night with more poetic and soulful ballads. Halfway through, all show goers were banging their heads in unison. They set a fierce tone that Black Pontiac later rode to a roaring finish.

Negative Association members include Lola Anderson on vocals, Elias Anderson and Brandon Lee on guitar, Slade Pronk on bass and Jakob Carlson on drums. Negative Association is a band that makes The Holland Project feel alive from the strum of the first chord. Photographers were taking photos, the flashes capturing the band in their raw moments. Everyone in the crowd was attuned to the live performance. 

Lola Anderson talked about what it means to represent Reno when playing alongside touring bands. “It’s a beautiful time to be doing something with people who are all there for the same reason.” 

She recalled performing with Sunfish, a touring rock band based in Salt Lake City, Utah, last year. 

She spoke about watching their growth, the camaraderie in the room was undeniable. 

Known locally for their poetic lyrical ballads, and self-described as “rock and f*ing roll in the city of Reno”, Negative Association is gaining traction while performing alongside bands like Nine Million, and festivals like Slamfest.

Most of the band lives together, creating and rehearsing in the basement they transformed into a studio, a detail that feels fitting for a band rooted in authenticity. 

“If someone can listen to my lyrics and feel like, ‘Damn I’m not alone on this, someone else feels that too,’ that’s all I really want,” Lola said.

Lola added, “If one person can feel connected to one song, we’ve done what we’re trying to accomplish.” 

Negative Association is generous and kind; their willingness to connect with others is what makes them a band that embodies the collaborative spirit which makes Reno’s DIY scene so magnetic. 

Playing alongside them that night was Black Pontiac, a Canadian four-piece consisting of vocalist Matt Purkiss, guitarist Mack Riddell, drummer Sam Riddell, and bassist Avery John ShoeSmith. 

Known for their hybrid of indie-pop, alternative rock and garage rock, they have been steadily climbing since their start in 2018. 

Their momentum exploded after Treefort Music Fest in March 2025, a festival in Boise, Idaho, that featured local and international touring bands. The festival hosted a crowd of more than 50,000 people that year, and after performing there, Black Pontiac found that their monthly listeners jumped to over 225,000.  

With most of their support coming from U.S. fans, this second national run feels less like a tour and more like a victory lap. Black Pontiac fever is real, and it’s spreading fast.

During the show, their passion was evident as they threw themselves into the songs.  Every movement felt sharp, every note carried urgency. Covering songs like “HOT TO GO!” by Chappell Roan and shouting out fans who travelled to watch them perform, Black Pontiac curated an unforgettable, interactive set.

Prior to performing in Reno, Black Pontiac sold 150 tickets in their recent San Francisco show, a number that would’ve been unthinkable in their early years. 

Mack Riddell said, “There’s a lineup going down the freaking streets of people wanting to see us. It just blew our minds.” 

Purkiss added that when people call Black Pontiac their favorite band “it doesn’t make sense.” Impostor syndrome starts to slowly creep in as their audience grows.

What is most striking about both bands is how everyone’s humanity showed through. “Playing with bands like Sunfish and Black Pontiac inspire you to keep going and making music,” Lola said. 

In that single exchange, the shared pursuit of creating art reveals itself. The crossfire of effort, love and connection reminds you that you are part of something bigger. 

Negative Association is available to listen to on Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube.

Black Pontiac is available to listen to on Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube.

Edited by Malory Shaw.