A review of Big Sound Live 2011 that I contributed to, for 4ZZZ in Brisbane.
Kingdom of Little Empires - The Powerhouse - 2 October 2010
A soundtrack of OKGO and Lily Allen set the scene for today’s Triple J supported all ages show at The Powerhouse as a mix of preppy youngsters in their high-waisted jean shorts and more seasoned gig-goers gather on the Turbine Platform.
First up is North Coast four piece and 2010 Unearthed High finalists Glass Towers, who put on an energetic display of indie pop rock despite a reluctant crowd who seem wholly determined to stay seated for the entirety of the set. It is Brisbane after all.
Having made the trek down from Bundaberg, via the UK, it’s 17-year-old solo act The Harry Heart Chrysalis’ time to shine. With the hearts of the girls in the front row melting at a ferocious speed, Harry Ward’s particularly heartfelt acoustic ballads do nothing to help the situation.
Looking and sounding like they’ve been plucked straight off the stage at Woodstock, Stonefield, formally known as Iotah, are by far the most surprising act in today’s line-up. Complete with howling vocals, intense guitar solos and a 12-year-old head banging bassist whose guitar is bigger than she is, it’s not hard to see why this band of sisters from Victoria were the 2010 winners of Unearthed High.
In a burst of synth and keyboard, WA duo Tim (18) & Jean (16) impress the young crowd enough to get a scattered few to bop along in delight. A suitable end to an afternoon of commendable talent, they work their way through a selection of well-constructed songs that would be familiar to any regular Triple J listener, even though they sound quite similar to fellow Australian electronic group Miami Horror.
Big Sound Live - Fortitude Valley - 9 September 2010
Taking the stage at the Artisan Gallery, delightfully armed with giant party poppers, is tonight’s first band, Sydneysiders Richard In Your Mind. Playing to a modest crowd of mostly industry types, RIYM are a little bit pop, a little bit rock, a little bit psychedelic, a little bit reggae and definitely more than a little entertaining.
It’s a tight squeeze at The Troubadour for the extraordinarily tight Big Scary, who manage to sound more like a five piece than a duo. Not afraid to switch it up between genres, they move effortlessly from heavier, punk-influenced tracks to the gently harmonious pop brilliance of Triple J favourite Autumn.
Like angry bastard children of The White Stripes and Kings of Leon, New Zealand’s The Checks quickly make their presence known. Peddling some impressively passionate and raw, guitar-driven rock, the intimacy of The Troubadour is the perfect backdrop for the growling vocals of front man Edward Knowles.
Catching only a couple of songs of Ernest Ellis at the Artisan Gallery Stage, one particular word springs to mind: intensity.
Young Brisbane charmers Ball Park Music, playing at The Club House, inject unbridled energy into every second of their live show. Maturing as performers with every gig they play, their particular brand of eclectic pop rock, with a trombone thrown in for good measure, gets the crowd, young and old, dancing and cheering with delight.
Catching only the last song of Children Collide’s set, a particularly raucous rendition of Social Currency, it’s surprising to find The Troubadour only about three quarters full. Loud and attention grabbing, it’s everything that is great about their recorded material and so much more.
Under any other circumstances, playing sardines in the front bar at Ric’s would hardly make for a fun experience. Deep Sea Arcade take the suffocating lack of space in their stride as they cram onto the tiny stage and enchant those lucky enough to make it inside the door with their jangly yet chilled, nostalgia-filled pop.
Big Sound Live - Fortitude Valley - 8 September 2010
Big Sound pass: Check.
Sensible shoes: Check.
Timetable: Check.
First up tonight is The Honey Month at The Troubadour. Looking VERY fresh faced, if not a little nervous, they epitomise versatility with no band member, aside from the drummer, holding onto the same instrument for more than a couple of songs. An accordion even makes an appearance. AN ACCORDIAN! Heavy on the acoustic and embracing powerful harmonies, the most surprising thing about this folky Brisbane 5-piece is their very un-folky pulsating energy that has the crowd bopping along.
Not so much a lane as a tiny back alley carpark, it’s off to the Bakery Lane stage for The Cairos. Playing a confident set of straight semi-grunge rock with bouncy pop undertones and British India drum vibes, not even a full power outage mid-show dampens the spirits of those in attendance.
It’s back to The Troubadour for Central Coast singer-songwriter Daniel Lee Kendall, whose sweet acoustic pop has manager Rae Harvey, along with a three quarter full venue, grinning like a proud parent in the front row. A gentle interlude in a night dominated by ‘guitar and drum’ bands, it’s the gloriously cheery and smile-inducing Lost In The Moment that puts everyone in high spirits.
Starting a little late and playing to a relatively small crowd at The Club House are Disco Nap. Jumping between very danceable keyboard-embracing pop and some more melancholy numbers, there’s something undeniably “90’s” about their music. A mass desertion of the crowd mid-set clearly affects the band’s enthusiasm and doesn’t give those who remained much reason to stay, which was a real shame.
A quick trip back to the Bakery Lane Stage for The Vasco Era uncovers the first actively dancing crowd of the night. Gritty and brazen, this Melbournian three piece deliver an absolutely pumping performance that proves dual vocals have a place within rock.
Clearly the crowd favourite, there’s standing room only at The Troubadour for Sydney band The Jezabels. Here follows a solid set of respectable indie pop to excite the adoring masses, with the vocals of frontwoman Hayley Mary, on tracks such as Hurt Me and Be A Star, the clear standout feature of the performance.
Washington, Scott Spark, Winter People - The Zoo - 2 Sept 2010
Photos: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=203344&id=245107886723
The Bedroom Philosopher & his Awkwardstra, The Boat People, Pinky Beercroft & the White Russians - The Troubadour - 28 August 2010
“For those of you that came late, I’m Julia Stone”. Or so Pinky Beercroft would have us believe. An enigmatic soul and captivating performer, Beercroft keeps the decent-sized crowd attentive, interspersing an enchantingly gentle, mostly acoustic set with well-placed, and hilarious, banter. Apparently Bliss N Eso stole his marketing budget too.
Tony Abbott related name-based puns aside, The Boat People shine with a set drawing mostly from most recent release Dear Darkly. The faultless harmonies of vocalists Robin Waters and James O’Brien on tracks Under The Ocean, Cat’s Collar and Damn Defensive make for some fine ear candy as talk of “trampfires” and Freudian slips ensures more of tonight’s running theme of hilarity.
With a musical clearance madness bonanza that boasts “prices lower than a groupie’s self esteem”, the Bedroom Philosopher and his musically proficient Awkwardstra waste no time in getting the crowd dancing and laughing. Switching effortlessly from hip hop to pop rock and everything in between, with some impromptu break dancing thrown in for good measure, it’s the aptly-titled tune Acronymphomaniac that gets the biggest laughs. Plugging a concept album about trams, including lyrically fantastical songs about tram inspectors and working in new media, the Bedroom Philosopher puts on the most entertaining show this reviewer has ever had the pleasure of seeing.
Yves Klein Blue - Ekka - 14 August 2010
Art vs Science, Tim & Jean, Jinja Safari - The Hifi - 13 August 2010
It’s barely even 8.30pm but the Hi-Fi is already half full. Even the mezzanine level is open. Tonight’s crowd is a motley crew; there are girls in heels, hipster types with their jeans rolled up and a few awkwardly placed old-timers. The room is buzzing with anticipation.
Fresh from their Triple J Unearthed spot at Splendour, Jinja Safari kick off tonight’s proceedings in jumpy, jungle drum beating fashion, with an orange kaftan, animal-eared hoody and citar to boot. Encouraging the growing mob to dance their worst dance moves, a message they take to heart, Jinja Safari bounce around the stage, filling the room with upbeat and jangly vibes.
(I don’t know what I was doing during Tim & Jean. I think I was daydreaming. Fail).
Whoever said showmanship was dead clearly hasn’t experienced the spectacle that is Art vs Science. Through a haze of smoke and strobe lighting, they explode onto the stage to rapturous applause. Warming up the crowd with catchy newer songs Higher and New World Order, songs that were just made for sing-a-longs, the very well-dressed trio (smart casual, can you believe it? I’ll forgive the bow tie just this once) charm and enchant the entire room. Dropping crowd pleasers Friend in the Field, Magic Fountain, Parlez-Vous Francais? and an absolutely hectic rendition of Gaybar by Electric Six in quick succession causes the rather tame mosh, and even people at the back of the packed room, to absolutely lose their shit.
It’s all cheeky smiles and lingering glances from drummer Dan W and synth-masters Jim Finn and Dan Mac, who genuinely seem to be enjoying themselves immensely. At one point, Dan Mac, guitar in hand, struts the length of the banister along the side of the Hi-Fi, much to the delight of the crowd and the displeasure of the security. Spirit fingers abound as an impromptu Boom! Shake the Room and absolutely raucous Flippers cause everyone to lose their shit all over again. Their set runs thirty minutes overtime but it’s obvious from the smiles on everyone’s faces that nobody really minds.
Hungry Kids of Hungary, The Holidays, Artisan Guns - The Zoo - 6 August 2010
Fresh off a plane with next to no sleep, New Zealand’s Artisan Guns discreetly take the stage to a modest crowd, many of whom don’t even seem to notice. Appearing tonight without drums, their mainly acoustic set is lacklustre and, at times, tedious, which is a real shame. Singer Matthew Hope puts in a respectable effort on vocals but it’s the lack of percussion that is most disappointing. Let’s blame the jetlag and call it even.
Definitely NOT short on percussion are Sydneysiders The Holidays, making full use of keyboards, synths, steel drums and tambourine plus a full drum kit to name but a few. Their funky yet soulful pop excites the crowd, particularly the semi-inebriated girls of the front row, just as much as the fact that frontman Simon Jones bears a striking resemblance to Mark ‘Marky Mark’ Wahlberg. Danceable and entertaining, The Holidays fit perfectly into tonight’s bill.
Tonight marks the first Australian show in a while for Brisbane pop darlings Hungry Kids of Hungary, who have been busy readying their debut album. For a sell-out crowd there seems to be a lot of people just chilling at the back of The Zoo but the Hungry Kids don’t seem to mind. Starting with a gentle rendition of Set It Right, they power on through a couple of new songs before dropping tambourine-happy crowd favourite Let You Down. Keyboardist Kane Mazlin’s vocals enchant, particularly on Arrest This Heart, as does guitarist Dean McGrath on mid-set singalong Scattered Diamonds.
Hungry Kids frisbees fly and newest single Wristwatch dazzles in frantically upbeat glory with a rousing All You Need To Know a fitting end to a triumphant homecoming show. To the audience’s delight, the Kids return for a double encore of Lenny and Good Times, with a warning that it may be a long time before we hear these older songs again.
Set List: Set it right, New song, Let you down, One by one, Arrest this heart, Scattered Diamonds, Old Money, Two Stones, Wristwatch, All you need to know.
Encore: Lenny, Good Times.
Drawn From Bees, Alba Varden, Delamare, Oceanics - The Troubadour - 16 July 2010
Opening the show tonight is one half of Gold Coast up-and-comers Oceanics. Sans bassist and drums for an acoustic set, the harmonies of guitarists Elliot Westen and Jackson Haswell weave Hungry Kids of Hungary via The Kooks-esque sounds to suitably entertain the slowly gathering crowd.
When they first take to the stage, South Australian five-piece Delamare seem like an odd choice of support for Drawn From Bees’ particular brand of rock. Their first songs, which seem unnecessarily brash, soon meld into a set of more engaging pop rock that gets the crowd dancing and cheering for more.
The highlight of tonight’s support acts is definitely Melbourne quartet Alba Varden. Energetic front man Daniel captives the almost capacity crowd with his soaring vocals, and unending praise for the venue, while the aptly named bassist ‘Skinny’ thrashes his way through the opening songs. The inclusion of extra drums adds even more depth to their already intense, passionate sound with final song, and newest single, ‘Down the rabbit hole’ a suitable end to a triumphant first Brisbane gig.
The now capacity crowd quiets slightly before erupting in cheers as the four members of Drawn From Bees slip onto the stage. Plunging straight into the melodious ‘Run Away’ from new LP ‘Fear Not The Footsteps Of The Departed’, their relatively short set, for a band of their extensive repertoire, includes a selection of songs new and old to satisfy even the most long standing fan. Sporting a new, more debonair hairstyle, singer Dan James enchants the front rows with passionate stares as guitarist Raven Jones swaps effortlessly between guitars and keys, despite a minor, amusing slipup on closing track ‘Amelia’. James’ harmonies with bassist Stew Riddle and drummer Matt Wedmaier are strong and an impressive component of the Drawn From Bees’ live show.
The addition of a string trio on ‘Undertakers’, ‘Why Bother’ and ‘Stand against the Storm’ brings the focus back to what the band does best; intricate layers and soaring melodies. As the Bees near the end of their set, the musical guests increase as they invite friends from bands 26 and Hungry Kids of Hungary on stage to participate in a rousing rendition of crowd favourite ‘Long Tooth Setting Sun’. There’s no encore tonight, only knowing smiles on the faces of the slowly dissipating crowd.
Set List: Run Away, Waiting for the end, Bus Now, Always the last, English Line, Picture Show, East Wood Fox, Undertakers, Why Bother, Stand against the storm, Long tooth, Amelia.
