Gotye - 12 December 2012, Brisbane Riverstage

w/ PTV, Bertie Blackman

It is so good to have the man of the hour back in the country. For last eight or so months, Gotye AKA Wally De Backer has been touring the world and being generally amazing. He's bringing the tour to a close in his home country. Making Mirrors is not even a year and a half old yet and it is still gaining critical acclaim at the Arias and now, The Grammys; a huge thing for this little Australian artist. This tour is a big step up from the last time he toured the country, and shows what a true musical genius this man is. Supporting him on this tour were the sensational Bertie Blackman and PVT.

Bertie Blackman opened to the grassy hill that is Riverstage, and stunned those that made the effort to come down early. She has a cool electro sound that can only be described as raw. This is a good thing indeed. Unfortunately, however there’s not much you can sing along with in Bertie's repertoire. It’s all lacks a certain melodious quality at times. Her upcoming single is really catchy and, however it was “Shadow Chasers” that was definitely the highlight of the set for me. It was played with a delicacy that I hadn’t seen in her previous songs. Ashamedly, this was my first Bertie Blackman experience, and I was not disappointed in the slightest.

Up next was PVT. More people had dragged themselves away from their daily working lives to grace the venue with their presence and it was good to see the band play to a less grassy hill. From the opening passage, I knew I liked these guys. The frontman’s vocals were really quite remarkable and the drummer’s rhythmic fills were something. I need to know more about this band. That’s for certain.
To say that Wally De Backer is a musical genius would be the understatement of the century. He was joined on stage by nine other musicians, including the regular rhythm section, a three piece horn line that doubled as vocalists, a dedicated synth player and aux percussion player. This was the same line up as his previous line up, but there was something more polished that only an extended time on the road can achieve. What was wonderful to hear with this set was music not only from Making Mirrors, but also Like Drawing Blood and more noteworthy, “What Do you Want?” from his debut release, Broadface.

“State of the Art” has got to be one of my favourite tracks off the record and to make this track even better live, Wally brought out his home organs as well as the salesman who sold it to him, the legendary Barry Morgan. He led Mr De Backer through his one finger method of playing the organ, which led into this tune. Tonight, the words changed to incorporate the organ and Barry Morgan, and it was one of the funniest and best things I’ve seen.

“Somebody that I Used to Know”, has such a different feel live to its recorded version. This is such a good thing, as we know and love it so much, it’s nice to hear it interpreted in a different way. Bertie Blackman returned to the stage in a Cat Suit. Not a catsuit, a Cat Suit. Ie, dressed up as a cat. It made me chuckle a little as it changed the meaning of the song entirely. “Now you’re just a cat I used to know…”.

Wally ended the set with “Hearts a Mess” which was a fitting way to end, before returning to stage to play a couple more, including the instrumental “Seven Hours with a Backseat Driver”. It is at this moment that I have to mention the visuals that accompanied the entire show. Many have already been uploaded to YouTube as videos to accompany the songs, including the stunning “Bronte” that never fails to bring a tear to my eye. The visuals that accompanied “Seven Hours with a Backseat Driver” were just bizarre. To complete the show was “I Feel Better” merging into “Learnalilgivinanlovin”. This got everyone dancing, and was the proper way to finish the show.

This was one of the most incredible shows I’ve been to this year, with the every particular of the show perfectly executed. Wally himself is such a gentleman, thanking and introducing a member of his band after each song. I still can’t believe just how complicated each and every one of his songs are. I know I’ve said this a couple of times already, but once more for reinforcement. Wally is a genius and he deserves every success he is receiving.

Harvest Festival - 18 November 2012, Brisbane Botanic Gardens

Sigur Rós. Beck. Ben Folds. Cake. Silversun Pickups. And they were just my picks! With a line up like this, how could anyone even consider missing the 2012 Harvest Festival? The Brisbane leg of the tour was held at the Botanic Gardens, which provided to perfect backdrop for the festival. But due to the severe storms the day before it was well after the advertised time of 11am when the gates finally opened.

Up first on the menu was the Trouble with Templeton at The Big Red Tractor stage. The sun was shining and it was swelteringly hot. Despite this, the early festival goers provided them with a remarkably large crowd to play to. This is a band I had heard a lot of on record, but never heard live, and I was pleasantly surprised by the how they presented themselves. Their music, a mixture between indie pop and rock was the perfect way to kick start the day.

Up next were The Dandy Warhols at the Riverstage. I was lucky enough to be third row in, and it was a surreal experience. With a career spanning decades it is hard to fault the band, and why they were playing so early in the day was beyond me. They played all their big hits including “We Used to Be Friends” and “Horse Pills”, but the highlight of the set has to be the antics of the keyboard player, Zia McCabe. She is so charismatic is almost funny, but in a good way! Early on in the set there was an intense downpour of rain seeing the entire crowd don their attractive plastic ponchos. Special mention must go to the guy who decided instead of wearing a poncho; he would MacGyver one out of an orange garden bag. Kudos. Frontman Courtney Taylor-Taylor’s vocals are just something else. His effects mic just gives the vocals that something special that we have come to know and love from the charmer.

Back at the Windmill Stage were the Silversun Pickups. With a new bass player in toe, the band is showing their true colours on the festival stage. They always put on an entertaining show, and it was seriously awesome to play the festival show.

At the same stage was where CAKE showcased their almighty talents. I love Cake unconditionally, and seeing them live for the first time was something that I was beside myself with excitement about. Here’s the thing. The opening of their set was rad. The last 20 or so minutes of the set was even better. The middle frustrated me. It’s not that that was the section they had all the new material in. I bought the CD, I like those songs. But it was the way frontman, John McCrea held himself in that section that exasperated me. He held the opinion that no one knew these songs and that no one would care about them and he spent a good 5 minutes talking about this fact. He then spent 10 minutes explaining to the crowd how he was going to get some sing-along happening. In this time they could have played another two, maybe three tunes that we all wanted to hear! It was a little pretentious of him. What they did play was awesome! I am eternally thankful that they did play “ Short Skirt/ Long Jacket”.

Again at the same stage, Ben Folds Five were due to play. It is at this point in the afternoon, I have to mention the crew that worked at Harvest. A guy came onto the stage to warn the crowd of a severe storm warning that could contain hail. He told us that if he came back and told us to move, then move would have to. 10 minutes later, this same man came back onto stage and said that we had to evacuate the grounds. It was all handled so well. There was no panic, and everyone was co-operative. Apart from the drunken few who thought they were too good for the system… Only a very short time after, the downpour started. It was like someone turned a tap onto full. The entire festival crowd ran to the nearby grounds of QUT finding shelter anywhere they could. There were hoards of people crowded into doorways, under staircases, and in under croft areas. That’s when the hail started.
45 minutes later we were allowed back into the now muddy and sloppy parklands and the music continued.

Back to Ben Folds Five. It has been over 15 years since the group as they stand toured to Australia. For me, this is what I had been looking forward to most. I was not disappointed. The first thing that has to be said is that there was a full size Grand Piano on stage. I don’t know of many people who actually use a grand piano on stage, let alone at a festival event! It weathered the storm and came away unharmed, until Mr Folds got his hands on it! Despite the delay, they played a full hour set with songs from the past including “Kate” and “Song for the Dumped” as well as songs from the new album including “Erase Me”. Ben Folds himself is such an eccentric performer. He leaves nothing in the tank. He was bashing that piano, using his fists and forearms. It was certainly something to behold. At the end of the set, he threw his chair at the piano. This hurt me a little bit inside…
With the delay all the running times were messed up, due to stages getting started quicker than others. Because of this, I missed more of Beck than I would have liked… What I did see was phenomenal. The river stage was packed! So standing up the very back was like watching a tiny any move around on the stage. My four song set opened with “Loser” one of my favourite tracks from the artist! And it went uphill from there. Oh how I am torn that I didn’t see more!

To close Harvest 2012, was Icelandic act Sigur Rós. As they set up the stage I marveled at the array of instruments that were present. You’ve got all the normal stuff, as well as a Celesta, three piece string ensemble, Trumpet, French Horn and Trombone, Xylophone and Glockenspiel and heaps of other random shit. I’ve never quite experienced a sound like the one I heard from Sigur Rós tonight. It gave a new definition to Wall of Sound AND Soundscape. Frontman Jónsi Birgisson’s vocals are otherworldly, and at one point he used the pickups on his electric guitar (which for the entire set he used a violin bow to play) as a microphone. Who even thinks of that?! By song three I had tears streaming down my face from absolute awe. No one could have closed the night better.

Well Harvest, you had me at hello, but you have shown me that you are more than just a pretty face. You blew me away, quite literally. You had everything. There was rain, there was sweltering heat, there was lightning and thunder, there was hail and there was a chilly evening breeze. On top of all that there was amazing music. Cake rocked my socks and had me dancing like a maniac. Ben Folds had me in fits of envy and admiration. And Sigur Ros had me in tears. You win Harvest. You're amaz-balls!

Tara Simmons - 24 October 2012, Black Bear Lodge

w/ Pluto Jonze, The Kite String Tangle

It was great to see Tara Simmons hit the Black Bear Lodge. It has been some time since we have had the songstress headline a round of shows. Joining her on the co-headline tour is Pluto Jonze.

Opening the night was The Kite String Tangle. This solo artist oozes a certain something that marvels. A lot of his electronic music was a little pop-y, but the stuff that wasn’t was still catchy and recognizable even though it delved deeper into the more ambient shades of the genre. His vocals were really well matched over the backing that he was semi-creating on the stage. As well as his own electronic tunes, he also covered a song, as well as remixed another. Get on board. This guy has a lot more to give.
 
Pluto Jonze was up next with something that I had not seen at the Black bear Lodge before. Projections. They were small, and on a skew angle, but they were there. Also on stage was something I’d not seen before: a Theremin. In a nutshell, the instrument is controlled with hand movements in space that control pitch. Move the hand closer to the rod, pitch goes higher. Fascinating. Think “Good Vibrations” by The Beach Boys. This guys is so charismatic on stage it’s infectious. The combination of Theremin and vocals on stage created some awesome harmonies and really makes this artist someone special.

I have so much love for Tara Simmons. She had tonsillitis tonight, and yet, she still battled on.it was clear that her vocals were not on par with her usual standard, but they were still pretty darn amazing. Tonight she had a completely new band accompanying her onstage, and this brought a heavier pop-rock feel to her music. The only thing missing on stage was another singer. None of the band member snag with the solo artist, and because of this, the beautiful harmonies that she crates on her new record are lost to digital substitutes. She played mostly songs from her new record It’s Not Like We’re Trying to Move Mountains, and only one tune from a previous release. By the end of the set her voice was absolutely wrecked. Can’t blame her! She left everything her voice had on the stage.

It’s so good to see Tara Simmons headlining her own shows again. It has been too long. The new record is sensational, and it’s great to hear the songs in live setting.

Hungary Kids of Hungary - 18 October 2012, The Zoo

w/ Gung-Ho, Jeremy Neal

It’s been over a year since Hungry Kids of Hungary toured the country and they’ve come back with a sensational new show filled with the old, the very old and the very new.

Opening the night at The Zoo was Jeremy Neale, fromtman from Brisbane favourites Velociraptor. What a crazy good performer that guy is. He does, unfortunately, need to learn crisis management. He broke the sixth string in the opening song, and it threw him completely. He went on to play the next tune, and it obviously wasn’t working well. A text message and a borrowed Hungry Kids guitar saved the set from being a total disaster, but still. For the set, I particularly liked the uncluttered stage: two guitars, a Bass and a drummer. No extra fluff, just four musicians doing what they love. Music wise, the band work really well together, especially when they bring their saxophonist to the stage. In a nutshell, well-dressed wholesome fun.

Gung Ho. They have really stepped up their game since I last saw them. No longer do they sing the same vocal parts together. This is a good thing. I love the instrumental work they do so very much. In the new songs they are playing, they feature this even more, to a point where there was a completely instrumental song with no vocals detracting from the splendour. I have no great love for this band, but what they’re doing on this tour shows that they have matured as a band and command the stage.

Where do I even start with Hungry Kids of Hungary? Opening with “The Vacationer” they hit the nail right on the head, and got the party started right then and there. In the set they previewed five new tracks, including current single “Sharp Shooter”. I am personally most excited about the track that goes along the lines of “I don’t mind if you’re having a good time”. Such a stellar track! Another thing that was brilliant about this set for long-time fans was the inclusion of the tunes “Old Money” and “One By One”. The band has evolved so much from when they recorded those tunes, and it was fascinating to see to how they had been reworked.

The new touring guitarist, ‘Uncle Benno’ as he has been nicknamed, is a sensational inclusion. He brings so much more than another guitar part and another set of vocals; there’s a presence that works really well with the rest of the band. Dean admitted mid-set that it had been a while since they’d played a show this long. The hour-long set was something new from the band, and not just because of the new tracks. They have a refreshed attitude and demeanour. This is a good thing indeed.

There are so many exciting things coming from the Hungry Kids it’s insane. With a new album dropping in March of next year, there’s going to be one hell of a lead up to something fans will be longing to get their hands on. Gear up, it’s going to be one hell of a ride.

BIGSOUND Live - 13 September 2012, Fortitude Valley

Night 2 - Set Sail, Mosman Alder, Loon Lake, Hey Geronimo, Hungry Kids of Hungary, Elizabeth Rose, Tin Sparrow,  Argentina, Aston Shuffle

The night kicked off at The Zoo with Set Sail. The Sydney band absolutely blew me away! Another name randomly picked off a list, the band are indie pop at it’s finest. The three piece, with added bass, not only play stellar tunes, but are also well presented and put on one hell entertaining show.
The violin player is one of the most eccentric players I’ve ever seen. Most of the time when you see a violin player on stage, they’re stiff and play the instrument like it was designed, as a classical augmentation to the band. This guy was rocking out and not only playing it in a traditional fashion, but holding it like it were a guitar, and playing chords on in. Rad. After the tune “Kids “ the frontman stood on the bass drum and did a backflip onto the lower stage, and said “that’s how the kids grow up in America” Holy wow, this band were sensational.

Next up at Alhambra was Mosman Alder. This band are so mellow, due to the fact the lead singer’s vocals blends into the texture of the band rather than soaring over the top of it. This is another band with a dedicated violin player, yet this player is so so different to the one just witnessed. She was more of the classical type, playing stiffly and singing harmonies. I’m not saying this is a bad thing. It works well for this band. And I do really like what they create together.

I had planned on getting into Loon Lake, however, the Q Music Stage was packed, and there was very little chance of getting a good look at the lads. So off the Hey Geronimo at The Zoo I went. Good-looking ridiculous fun. This band certainly know how to throw a party, and get everybody dancing. The band played all the tracks of their self title EP as well as a couple of newies. During the first half of the set there was this annoying “photographer” climbing on stage to take photos of the bass player, Greg, and getting all up in his face. Turns out it was their rapper friend, how jumped up on stage for that song to get up to his usual antics. This song had the entire crowd bouncing.

Staying at The Zoo for Hungry Kids of Hungary, was a good idea. Apparently the line was epicly long. Tonight marked the first time HKoH have played in Brisbane in over a year. They played a whole bunch of new songs off their forthcoming record as well as old favourites, including “Writstwatch”, “Let you Down” and “Coming Around”. Of their new songs, opener “Sharp Shooter” is set to be their next single, and sounds rad! They lads have really stepped it up since the last time they played to a home crowd. If the set was anything to go by, we have not seen the best of the boys yet.

At the Press Club, Elizabeth Rose was breaking hearts with her electric tunes. It was the perfect little stage for her. With her laptop, her synth set up and her truly stunning voice she wowed the crowd. Miss Rose was another I picked off a list, and again I was blown away by how much I loved her set. She was so into the music she was producing, and there was not a second where she wasn’t moving or pulsing. “Again” was one of the highlights of her set for me, as well as her last song. This set was only meant to be a pop in, see what was happening before catching the full set of Tin Sparrow, but I was captivated and did not want to go anywhere.

I walked into Mustang Bar in the middle of Tin Sparrow’s rendition of “Bricks”. This is such a heartfelt song and it was moving to hear it performed live. The harmonies created by the four piece are truly stunning. In their other songs, the arrangements get a little repetitive at times, with the same vocal harmonies being repeated for entire sections of the song. I do love this band though.

Moving next door to Oh Hello, Argentina was playing strutting his stuff on an extend stage. His music is always different, regardless of when you hear him. The arrangements are always slightly different. This is what makes this group so amazing to listen to time and time again. It would have been so good to hear all of the set but alas. At BIGSOUND this is a hard thing to achieve.

The closer for BIGSOUND Live 2012 was The Aston Shuffle at the Bakery Land Stage. This was nothing less than a dance party. Their music is cleverly constructed electro, and was an amazing way to finish the night. They played a good mix of old and new tunes. But the new tunes were a little rough around the edges. They fell apart at time, and at the end of their set it was a serious anti-climax. They had put all this work into creating the perfect dance environment, and then the last section of the last song had no weight behind it. Regardless, great set.

And done. Over the two nights, I managed to fit in 18 bands, over 8 stages. This is something that never happens in Brisbane. Over half of these venues do not usually exist, or do not play live music on a regular basis. And it’s so disheartening to see! This BIGSOUND week shows just how important the music industry is, and how it can all come together to create something truly amazing. It’s not everyday that you can pick a name off a list in ignorance, walk in and discover something sensational. That is what BIGSOUND is to me. A showcase of artists that you may not go out of your way to see, because you’ve just not heard of them before, but stumble in and think wow.

BIGSOUND Live - 12 September 2012, Fortitude Valley

Night 1 - The Good Ship, Electric Empire, Boy in a Box, Clairy Browne and the Bangin' Rackettes, YesYou, Ball Park Music, Millions, Velociraptor

This years BIGSOUND was bigger and better than ever. They boasted 120 bands over 12 stages. They did not fail to deliver. With all new venues including Magic City, Mustang Bar, and Press Club, the whirlwind Live program just that, a whirlwind. 30 minute sets, 20 minute turnarounds. With five sets per venue per night, there was absolutely no way to get to everything, but oh my, did I try make the most of sensational two night live music event.

First up were The Good Ship at the Q Music Stage in the lane behind The Zoo. After playing their first song, they announced “thanks for Something for Kate for opening for us!” True statement! The band had just finished up the EMI industry party. Funny none the less. The Good Ship are all kinds of fun, and make me think of being a old school pub with pirates, wenches, and good ol’ fashioned booze. The relentless ‘mm-cha’ notion of their music was enough to get the crowd bobbing in a frenzy. It’s so great to see the use of a Banjo, Piano Accordion, Trumpet and Monkey Stick (beer bottle caps fixes to a central pole).

Electric Empire were up next at the Bakery Lane stage. BIGSOUND is an even for going out to hear bands you’ve never heard of play a set. So, when you pick a name semi-randomly off the list of bands playing that time slot, that you’ve never heard of before, it can either be an amazing surprise, just good, or meh. These lads were one of the real surprises for me this BIGSOUND. They were crazy awesome! Funk infused goodness. They’re the kind of band you can properly dance to, that’s not electro/house. They had the musical stops in all the right places and in all honest, I could not keep a grin off my face. The three main vocalists, have such different voices, and it was awesome to see each of them take a verse in on particular song.

Electric Playground was again part of the BIGSOUND music venue list, but it still was not an enjoyable venue. In my opinion, it’s way too loud for the room it boasts. I could be such an amazing venue, but… Boy in a Box were the first band of the night in that particular venue, and the venue really distracted how good these lads actually are.

Back at the Bakery Lane Stage was Clairy Browne and the Bangin’ Rackettes. This 60s pop/soul inspired band was certainly something different from almost everything else at BIGSOUND. She boasted three back up singers (The Bangin’ Rackettes) as well as a full rhythm section and Baritone Sax. The doo-wap girls certainly complemented Clairy herself, and really showcased the talent of the group. Something that has to be said about the band is the dance moves of the Bangin’ Rackettes. They are so cliché doo-wap that it was, at the same time, cringe worthy and truly awesome.

A brisk stroll to the Press Club brought YesYou to the stage. They opened with “The Half Of It”. This is such a good song, especially live. On the tiny, tiny stage, the four piece and all their equipment barely fit, and it came as little surprise that when the drummer was belting out drum fills that the hardware supporting the cymbals started loosening, rendering parts of the kit useless for the song. In one point, vocalist Tara Simmons took center stage for a tune. This track is awesome, and I can’t wait to hear it in solid form.

At the Zoo, there was a massive line to get into see Ball Park Music. It is so good to see the band play The Zoo again. After multiple shows at the The HiFi, it must feel nice to return to the roots and return to play one of the first big venues they played in. Tonight they played quite a few new tracks off their forthcoming record Museum. Of all the tracks “Great Display of Patience” is going to be a crowd favourite for sure judging on tonight’s performance. As well as these new tracks they played old favourites including “Sad Rude Future Dude”, “All I Want Is You” and “iFly” as well as new favourite “Surrender”. I was so glad to see them back at the more intimate room that is the Zoo and they created such an amazing vibe!

Back at Electric Playground was Millions. These guys create really darn catchy indie rock stuff, playing a mixture of old and new material for the short set. One look down at the mosh was all you needed to see, as the people were going wild, and dancing like maniacs.

Last but not least for the night was Velociraptor at the Q Music Stage. This band, in a nutshell, is organized chaos. On stage they are one of the most dysfunctional groups I’ve seen; four electric guitars, two bass guitars, and a synth. I don’t quite get the need two bass guitars and four electric guitars. There’s only so many different ways a chord progression can be played right? Regardless, this band produces some hell good tunes, and was a great way to end the epic night.

What a night! So much good music, a fair bit of which, I hadn’t really been exposed to before. The highlight for me, apart from personal favourites Ball Park Music, was Electric Empire. They were just so good, and such a surprise considering I picked them randomly off the list of bands playing the timeslot. Now… Night two.

Kate Miller-Heidke - 26 August 2012, The HiFi

w/ The Beards

Supporting the amazing Kate Miller-Heidke were The Beards. They have luscious beards, and sing songs about beards. They don’t like people without beards. The only reason they are on tour with Kate Miller-Heidke is because they are “supporting” the fact that she doesn’t have a beard. It’s a little hard to take these guys seriously, but that’s the whole point, right? I couldn’t keep a smile off my face throughout their entire set, and at times it was laugh out loud funny.

For those of you who have been living under a rock for the last little while, The Beards have songs with lyrics including “as long as your dad doesn’t have a beard, you have two mums”, “there was once a band called Kings of Leon and they shaved off their beards and now they’re shit”, plus their Hottest 100 hit, titled “You Should Consider Having Sex With A Bearded Man”. The thing about this band is that behind those ridiculous lyrics are a stupidly talented bunch of musicians. The frontman is not only a seriously talented singer, but also saxophonist, keytar, and melodica player. They’re just a hell decent band.

Looking back in time, the first Kate Miller-Heidke gig I went to would have been in 2005. And, oh my, what a journey she has embarked on over the years. When Kate and band came onto the stage, there was a huge eruption of sound, however, as soon as guitarist, Keir Nuttall, started playing “Iron and Fire” there was dead silence, and when Kate sang her first phrase, there was another eruption of sound. But for the rest of the song, the silence returned and there was not a sound in the room. To say it was intense is the understatement of the year. Her one hour and forty-five minute set was filled with songs from her latest record Nightflight, as well as tunes from both Curiouser and Litter Eve. I was so glad to hear her playing track from these early albums, including a massively slowed down rendition of “Mama”.

Kate has a wonderful way of reinterpreting her music for the stage, and it was so great to hear “God’s Gift to Women” open with just the acoustic guitar, before moving into something much heavier and drum based. This came straight after a selection of songs including “Politics in Space” and “The Devil Wears a Suit”, played without Dan Parsons on the drums, but instead on guitar. Kate’s cover tonight was a mash up of Eminem's “The Real Slim Shady” and Kanye West's “Monster”. To see a petite white woman rap is certainly something you need to experience at least once in your life.
As a conclusion to her encore, she played an acoustic rendition of “Space They Cannot Touch”. This is my all time favourite Kate Miller-Heidke song, and it was such a special moment to hear it played with only Keir on acoustic guitar, and Maddie Page, Dan Parsons and James O’Brien grouped around a single microphone singing harmonies. Such a perfect way to end the brilliant set.

Jinja Safari - 18 August 2012, The HiFi

w/ White Arrows, Opossum

Jinja Safari has been touring the country on their Blind Date tour, taking along with them White Arrows, hailing from LA, as well as Opossum, from across the Tasman. It’s nice to see Jinja Safari playing the larger venue that is The HiFi, however, for some reason or another, by the time they were ready to get their set under way, the venue was probably just over half full.

To open the night was LA band, White Arrows. These guys are all kinds of rad! They have a heavy electro-pop kind of sound that was well received by those that made the effort to get to the venue early. It’s the kind of music that you instinctively pulse along to. I’m not talking the slight head bob, but the whole body type of pulse. Their tune “Stay at Home” had quite a different feel to the music they had showcased so far, but it was still really involving. Their second last song has to be mentioned, as it featured a synthesised riff that sounded as though it was created from old school computer sounds. But, not only was it novel, it was catchy as all hell. These lads do put on a good, fun show, and I do believe their first tour to Australia has won them many new fans.

Opossum confused me tonight. I wanted to like them, and to appreciate them, however there were just so many things off with their performance that it made it very hard. The fact that the keyboard player was at a right angle to the audience so you basically couldn’t see her face was not the best of ideas. I understand why, in that for the improvised and experimental nature of some of the songs, all members of the three piece had to be able to see each other, but it made it so the band lost all their impact. Also, in the mix, the keys overpowered and the vocals didn’t stand out at all. You couldn’t understand a word they were singing about, nor even when they were speaking to the audience. Their music isn’t bad, not at all, however these things mentioned made it difficult to enjoy what they were producing. When the girl picked up her guitar for the last two songs, the whole style of their music changed. It was more structured, thus more “appealing” to the wider audience.

Jinja Safari. Holy Wow. This band is amazing. They opened the night with “Hiccus” closely followed by “Families”. Tonight was a night for the new as well as the old. The band played heaps of new songs, while playing old favourites like “Peter Pan” as well. Their latest single “Toothless Grin” is a sensational song and really shows the direction the band are heading in. As for showmanship, these flamboyant lads are second to none! They graced the stage, jumping over things and beating their chests, and they didn’t stop there. There was even a moment when crazy man, Papa Knight, clambered onto one of the speakers, making him over seven feet in the air, before jumping off and running back to his synth. Jinja Safari have all the normal instruments you would expect from a band, but add some fun stuff, including a keytar, wood flute, xylophone and their signature sitar.

Jinja Safari keep going from strength to strength; they’re amazing one show, and the next time you see them, they’re even better. The stupid thing about this gig is the fact that there weren’t enough people in the room experiencing the incredible things these three bands were producing. Meh, they missed an simply sensational show.

The Paper Kites - 20 July 2012, Alhambra Lounge

 w/ Patrick James, The Phoncurves

As I walked around the corner to Alhambra Lounge, I was greeted with a 200m line to get into the venue. This was both a good and a bad thing. Good, as it meant The Paper Kites and support acts would play to a packed out crowd in the small venue, but bad because it was quite chilly.

Up first was Brisbane duo The Phoncurves. Unfortunately because of the ridiculously slow line outside to get in, I missed most of their set. However what I did see was delightful. The girls sung beautifully together with the vocals blending so very well. Their final song, “Do Do Do” was quite different form the rest of the songs in their set, utilizing a sampler to create extra depth to the vocals. This song sounded quite reminiscent of a Doo-wop kind of song. Really cool.

Next up was Patrick James and band. These guys are the reason I love Indie-folk music. One, they use a banjo, a proper banjo. None of this ‘ganjo’ crap. And two, they sing with such conviction in three part harmony. It was so good to hear them singing together so well. Frontman, Patrick James, has an intriguing stage presence, and you can hear such emotion in the way he sings. One of the new songs “Stay” was really something. A lot mellower than those they had played previously. They then invited Christina from The Paper Kites, to sings a duo entitled “Shine” which was probably my favourite of the set: so very simple in its statement yet quite beautiful. They concluded their set with a self-proclaimed hoedown, which was good fun indeed.

So, before tonight, I’d only heard little snippets from The Paper Kites, but as a live experience, this band are breathtaking. They opened with “Featherstone” and that set the tone for the rest of the gig. Again, as will all the bands on the register for tonight, the vocals were gorgeous. The harmonies between the frontman, the guitarist, and Christina were stunning, and perfectly matched. So when the played songs that had a single acoustic guitar and three vocalists sensing in harmony, it was otherworldly. You hear this on their recordings, but to hear it live makes it something more special. By the time they got to “Bloom” they had the audience almost silent, which is no mean feat for a band to achieve. They encouraged everyone to join in the whistling in this song, and it’s got to be one of the most hilarious crowd participation activities I’ve been apart of. Whistling a tune is deceptively hard it would seem. The next songs they played, “Paint” the frontman asked for complete silence, and to my surprise, he got it. For the entirety of the song, there was not a sound in the venue. Only melodious vocals and guitars. The roar after the song concluded was more than well deserved. It was a wow moment.

This gig was certainly something special, and has restored my faith in indie-folk music. These three acts are amazing, especially The Paper Kites. I wouldn’t want to go on tour as that band though. The amount of gear they brought with them was insane. Two six-sting acoustics, a 12-string acoustic, and electric guitar, a bass, a mandolin, a slide guitar, a banjo, and whatever the drummer wanted to bring with him. Insane...

Tin Can Radio - 28 June 2012, Black Bear Lodge

w/ Rapids, Fushia

Tin Can Radio has to be one of the most underrated bands out there. They work so hard, and yet never seem to reap the rewards that those contemporaries achieve. I can’t understand this, when you attend one of their shows, you just can’t help but feel happy and dance around like an idiot.

Opening the night was indie rock outfit, Fushia. They have this awesome little rock-y feel to them with a whole lot of synth, topped with funky bass lines. The band’s 'new' keyboard player was great. I can’t imagine what the band was like before this, but hell, I like what they’re putting out now. They wrote a song about having a whole lot of fun and my, oh my, that song was indeed a whole lot of fun. And catchy as all hell. This is the kind of band where I couldn’t keep a silly little grin off my face. It doesn’t happen often, but when it does, I know that I’ve found a good thing.

Rapids took to the stage nest, and to be honest, I don’t know what to make of this band. They played a tight set, and musically were great. But at times I found the indie-pop sound they made to be a little generic. There was so much energy on stage, and they certainly enjoy what they do, but I think they need a little more diversity between their songs. “Shoppe Sorry”, their last tune was definitely the highlight of the set, as it was a lot more funk inspired than the rest, which set it apart.

The first thing I have to note about Tin Can Radio: there is so much hair in this band. Each band member has more luxurious hair than most women have, especially the bass player. Seriously, that’s just not fair! Second thing I have to note, Rob Nobillia’s three unit synth set up was epic. Mainly because it was set up on what looked like an ironing board. No joke. This made me happy inside. Tonight was the official launch of their latest single, “It Goes On”, as well as their new project, The Audie Democracy Project. With this project, fans get to decide which tracks the band will record for their new EP. I think this is such a brilliant idea, and actually gets those people who love the band involved in the process.

They played a whole bunch of these songs tonight, and oh my, they are just rad! There was one new track where everyone disposed of their guitars and took up a synth to create a wall of sound. There was no pre-record in the background and it was being created live. Blew my mind. Every time you hear the band play an older track, “Hot Trash”, “A Deafening Silence” and “Skeletons” for example, It was a completely new arrangement, with a different array of synth sounds and slightly different formula. That is a sign of a good band. When you can go to a gig and have a completely new experience of the same song, from both the recorded version and the version you heard at the previous gig.

You know your listening to a Tin Can Radio song when you look around and you can see the crowd pulsing and dancing around like crazy people, then when the band hit the half tempo bridge they immediately follow suit. The band had every body at the Black Bear Lodge in the palm of their hands tonight. With ease.

School of Seven Bells - 23 July 2012, The HiFi

w/ Little Scout, Tara Simmons

School of Seven Bells are a band that I have loved for quite some time, and to have them play in my hometown was kind of amazing. Their electro-dream pop is just this: psychedelic music for the soul.

Tara Simmons got the night off to a right start with her single “Where Do You Go”. With her self named emergency band, she is sounding much more electrified than the last time I heard her play. I mean this not only in the nature of her songs and the nature of their composition, but also in her presence. She’s still that tiny folk-like singer, but there so much more to the sound she’s now creating, and I love it. “Be Gone” is still such an amazing song, and truly sums up her new sound. I do like the way the live show features not only a real drum kit, but also combines this with the electronic backing tracks as well as pad drums to create something immense. Although things weren’t perfect this evening, expect to hear a lot more from this young lady.

Little Scout had the pleasure of touring the HiFi venues across the East Coast with School of Seven Bells, which I think suited quite nicely. I do believe that this band has now really found their stride. After the success of their debut record, Take Your Light, released in August of last year, they were quiet for a time, but now they are back in force. After trying to unburden herself from under a guitar for most of the tracks from said record, front-woman Mel Tickle reclaimed the instrument for many of the new tracks. Her vocals are stunning in their simplicity and effortlessness. I love how in indie music, especially Australian indie music (I use the term loosely for this purpose), each vocalist brings their own voice to the table, unlike the commercial vocalists who seems to be carbon copies of the same type of voice.

The band's new song “Day” is quite a stunning track, and takes me back to the Little Scout I know and love from their EPs. Tonight, they also played an old favourite from the time of these EPs, “Dead Loss”. The band’s newest single “Go Quietly”, released only a couple of days previously, was certainly a highlight of the set. It is so different form anything else released, and brings something fresh to their sound.

Now, School of Seven Bells. This band is nothing short of fabulous. Their combination electro-dream pop sounds are something quite unique, and you can’t help but be enthralled. What I loved about this band is that they played songs from across their three album discography. They opened the hour and a half set with “Iamundernodisguise”, the opening track to their debut LP Alpinisms. The first thing you noticed about the band was the difference between recorded vocals and the live vocals. I firmly believe this is due to Claudia Deheza’s departure from the touring scene. Twin sister, and vocalist of the band, Alejandra, remains, with another touring singer singing harmonies.
But it not the same. The vocals harmonies of the band are so close and somewhat dissonant, that I can imagine it being a struggle to reproduce with a new vocalist. In saying this, this new vocalist did do a good job.

It is evident that the vocals, however, are secondary only to the music being created by brainchild, Benjamin Curtis. When I try to think of the stand out moments, I must say, I’m at a loss. Each song is unique, but melds very well together, so as to create a somewhat psychedelic mind trip. At times I found myself drifting into another headspace entirely; their music has that power. In saying that, “Windstorm” was sensational, as was “I L U”. Also, in the encore, the final song they played seemed to go on forever, yet never got repetitive or tedious.

The one thing about the gig that was disappointing was the lack of people in the room! I’ve never seen the HiFi as empty as it was tonight. There was so much space to move around in the lower mosh, and the levels were barely full. For an international act to play to a crowd of that size, it’s saddening. I, for one, can’t believe there weren’t more people in the room, this band are certainly something special.

Charlie Mayfair - 10 June 2012, Black Bear Lodge

w/ Little Casino, Sleepy Tea

It has been quite some time since I have been to the Black Bear Lodge, and probably only the second time since its infamous transformation from The Troubadour. I’d forgotten just what an amazing room it is. Stupidly hot, but incredible. Charlie Mayfair chose this venue for their show celebrating the release of their new EP Fall in Time.

Opening the night was Sleepy Tea. Lets do some math here. What do you get when you combine Tom Wearne (Tin Can Radio) and the Emma Louise? Awesomeness, that’s what: a dream-pop kind of mellowness that has glorious melodies. This is Tom’s side project, but you can tell that just by listening. The songs are very similar in construct as those of Tin Can Radio, but without the heavy electronic synth. The opening three songs were the two vocalists accompanied by guitar. These songs were delightful. Their voices mesh so well together to create some beautiful harmonies.
When the rest of the band (bass and drums) joined the due, things got a lot more interesting. It was such a different kind of song they created, and different types of songs also. But still, very Tin Can Radio like. Can I just clarify; this is definitely not a bad thing at all. You can’t change your song writing style just because you want to change up the group of musicians you are writing for. Their last song, I think it was their “single” even thought nothing has been officially recorded, was easily their most catchy, and funnily enough, most unique also.

Next up was Little Casino, a band who I had heard absolutely nothing about or of. Here’s what I found out tonight. They have just finished recording their debut EP which will be released in the near future. “All Fall Down” is an amazing song. It shows off the vocals of lead singer Ben Forbes. There’s a certain quality to this young mans voice that really captured me, more so than many other new bands I’ve heard of late. The band as a whole work really well together and they sound like they’ve been playing together for years, when In reality, I think it has only been a short amount of time. They have their own unique folk- rock style and also their own interpretation of that style.
There are not too many bands that can make me grin like a fool on first listen, but these guys? They had Ben grinning from first tune they played. I know they are going to be a band that I follow closely as their career develops and flourishes. They definitely have the makings to be one of my favourite new bands.

Finally, Charlie Mayfair brought it home to that room where the air was almost unbeatable due to the heat and stuffiness. They have come so far since the last time I hear them play. They sound has developed and matured and they are definitely becoming an Indie-Pop force to be reckoned with. The one thing that sets this band apart from all those other bands out there is their vocal harmonies. When lead singer, Hannah Shepherd together with Irena Lysiuck and Dave Di Marco sing together it is something truly special. And they sung together in pretty much every song, so I think you get how special these three together can be.

Their opening song of the set “Blue Water” has evolved since last time I attended one of their gigs. It’s form may have changed, but it hasn’t lost any of it’s intensity. It opens with just Hannah on vocals, joined by Irena and finally Dave, before the rhythmic accompaniment of the rest of the band sets in. It was nice to hear Dave taking up lead vocal duties on a new track “Stone”. The band’s new singe “Waste Me” was sensational live. I didn’t think they could pull off the opening as well in a live situation as they do on record but it was flawless. Kudos. As an encore, the band welcomed Emma Lousie and Tom from Sleepy Tea back on stage to sing an unplugged number. That is, the acoustic guitar unplugged and the mics turned off. This was something truly mind blowing. I just wish I had been in the front row instead of mid crowd.

Charlie Mayfair have really stepped it up in the last little bit, and their new EP, is certainly something special. Grab it when you can!

Founds - 9 June 2012, The Zoo

w/ Fire! Santa Rosa, Fire!, Arundel

Arundel was up first, playing to a room that had no more than eleven punters in attendance. There were more band members lingering around than there were guests. The solo artist himself remarked that there was so few people, that you really noticed when each new guest entered. He had a chuckle to himself because of this. Moving on. Arundel’s sound is unlike most “popular” music on the market. It is more like, for lack of a better phrase, an electronic soundscape.

The one-man band started on drum pads and synth for his first couple of songs, before moving between glockenspiel and guitar as well as these pads. He also welcomed Claire Whiting (from Inland Sea) to the stage for some guest vocals. These two songs were pretty much the only time lead vocals were featured in the set. “Flourish”, a tune he was debuting live tonight, was the highlight of the set for me. It was the one and only time he donned his guitar, and used loops to basically create a song from scratch. Awesome stuff.

Next up was Fire! Santa Rosa, Fire! Here’s a band that I cannot make heads or tails of. I like what they have got going on, especially Caitlin Duff’s sensational vocals, but at some times in the set, they actually looked bored. There are other times however, when they looked very impassioned about what they are playing. It was quite a strange extreme.Regardless, the music they create is really quite interesting, and is made more so by the vocals. Miss Duff has such rich tones throughout the entirety of her vocal range. There were moments where she even reminded me a little of Stevie Nicks. In all honesty, this band would be nothing without her talent. “Code Breaker”, the band’s new single, was quite different to most of their other work. But in a good way, it differentiated it from the rest of the set.

Headlining for the night was Founds. This band is not everyone’s cup of tea. I can definitely appreciate that. They opened with the lead vocalist singing and playing a simple bass riff on her synth, at a particular point in the song, she was joined by the rest of her band to bring the song to its climax and conclusion. This young lady also has a sensational voice, but I found her lack of connection with the audience a little disconcerting.She rarely looked up from her synth, or if she was looking out, she had her eyes closed. Also, she didn’t speak, bar once mid-set to thank everyone for coming. No one else in the band spoke either, so it was a little strange. The band has two distinct styles of music. The type where the vocalists are singing simple melodies consisting of long sustained notes, while the band plays intense rhythmic accompaniment, and the type that is more “indie-pop” and more sing-song like, while retaining that folk like influence. I like this about the band. One last thing of note, the violin player is insane! In the best possible way imaginable!

This was a night of ups and downs for me. There were some truly amazing moments from each act, but then there were also moments that didn't quite sit, and they lost me in that moment. I think I need to hear more from each of these bands; see what else they’ve got stashed up their sleeves.

The Jezabels - 7 June 2012, Brisbane Convention Centre

w/ Lights, Snakadaktal

When I heard that I was heading off to The Jezabels I was a little beside myself with excitement. The last time I heard the band play was over a year and a half ago to an almost sold out Zoo. My, oh my have they come a long way since then. I’ve been following their career closely, missing their gigs at the Tivoli over that period, and dying to relive my first live experience. So, in a nutshell, to say I was beside myself with eager anticipation would be the understatement of the century.

Opening the night at the Brisbane Convention Centre was the youthful Snakadaktal. I won’t lie, I was slightly afraid for the youngsters. The Convention Centre is not the easiest room to play, especially when it is less than half full. I shouldn’t have been worried. The band has a maturity way beyond their years. I don’t really know what I was expecting. But it wasn’t this. The only clue to tell you they have only been doing this a very short time is when they speak to thank their audience and their fellow bands.

“Air” was definitely the stand out of the set. It, along with “Chimera”, showed off the vocal talent of Miss Phoebe, as well as Sean. I do believe thought, it is Phoebe whose vocals shine throughout the set. They are simplistic and unforced, which is refreshing to hear. The electric drum sounds combined with live drum sounds is nicely balanced, but the overall the sound was not altogether uniform. One song the bass would be shaking the room, the next it was more blended in the texture. Both are fine, but I believe it needs to be consistent. Their final song, and new single “Dance Bear” has a completely different vibe to the rest of their songs, and I’m not completely sold on it. However, I am more than happy to have my mind changed.

Next up was Lights. Here’s a couple of fun facts for you. Lights is a young lady from Toronto, Canada. She plays Electro-pop kind of music. I’d never heard of her and I despise myself for this. Here why. She was freaking fantastic! I am not normally one that loves heavy electro sounding music, but I found myself completely enchanted by the set because it had subtle elements of that indie-pop goodness that I love. There were three synth stations and a drum kit set up on stage, with Lights herself positioned in the middle of two parallel keyboards. The title track of her latest release “Siberia” was quite stellar, as was the song that she introduced as “what was left of as reoccurring dream.” But it was her opener, “Banner” that hooked me right away. Lights’ vocals are something to be admired, she is such a charismatic performer with a voice that cut over the heavy drops that occur underneath. Look her up if you are as ignorant as me, it's well worth your while.

Onto The Jezabels. First off, something has to be said about Hayley Mary and her vocals. She is one of the most incredible singers in Australian music at present. Big call, I know, but there it is. She has such a deep and powerful low register that is so much lower than most females can comfortably sing, while at the same time conquering her higher register, which most singer use sparingly out of fear. It’s something so special. She still dances the way she has always done. With the bended knees, and arm waving sideways in the air. I love it. Brilliant.

Like I said previously, this little band from Sydney has come a long way since gigs at the Zoo sized venues. The production of the show and the stage set up were something you would see from bands of a much higher caliber, but it was so good to see them stepping up in order to be that next big thing. The set was really well put together. I still wholeheartedly believe that the material that came off the set of three EPs, as a whole, is leaps and bounds better than their new material on Prisoner. This is just my personal opinion. Because of this, they lost me in the middle, when they played “Nobody Nowhere”, “Horsehead” and “Long Highway” in a row, but brought it home with “Try Colour” and songs from their EPs. I think it is just that they are more memorable, and not over cluttered. I will say thought, that “Deep Blue Ocean” is an amazing song, and I was glad to hear it included in the set. They finished with “Dark Storm” before encoring with “Peace of Mind” segueing into “Hurt Me”. That combination is a winner. Just saying.

All in all, a sensational gig, full of unexpected surprises. The good kind. I am truly happy that The Jezabels have stepped it up. They have always been good, but this just shows, that if a band keeps on working hard and producing good music, they can keep the journey going, and going, and going… and going.

Last Dinosaurs - 3 May 2012, The Zoo

w/ Millions, Gung Ho

Since the release of their debut album, In a Million Years, Last Dinosaurs have been marking their territory. With sold out shows across the country, it was a privilege to attend the final show of the tour. Also, this show marked the second sold out show in their hometown of Brisbane, just to top it off. Millions and Gung Ho joined them around the country on this tour, for the most part, and it was great to see both bands play the final show of the tour.

Opening the night were local natives Gung Ho. I stand by what I said when I saw the band open for Bluejuice three weeks ago: I love what they are doing instrumentally, but vocally, the band annoys me a little. But you know what? Having said that, by then end of the set, I was catching their vibe. I was feeling the entirety of the music they were creating, and I kind of liked it. Guitarist, Michael McAlary, is one phenomenal musician, and he is what makes me like this band. Their “new song that doesn’t have a name” was a good tune and I, for one, believe deserves a name.

The final two songs of the set were again the bands’ two singles, but tonight they mixed up the arrangement a little, with both men in front singing together. As much as the vocals are growing on me, they still shouldn’t sing together. It’s a little too … off.

Millions were up next. This is a band that I have heard mentioned a million times in passing but had yet to hear anything of musically. I now ask myself, why!? This band is awesome. Even with the guitarist being out with a broken wrist, I know I need to hear more form this band. Because of this injury, the band borrowed Last Dinosaurs' frontman, Sean Caskey, for guitar duty, as well as a couple of other friends.

These lads create fun music that makes you want to dance, with some really interesting beats and rhythms. Also, their bass player was freaking sensational! A rather talented young lad. They had a really good mix of songs, changing up things with triple feel ballads, before returning to upbeat tunes they do best. The band's latest single “Slow Burner” was a definite highlight.

This brings us to Last Dinosaurs. They have really stepped up their production of a live show since the last time I saw them. They now come packaged with a projection screen. And while it does enhance the performance, I thought it a little unnecessary, especially for a venue the size of The Zoo. But, in saying that, it did show that the band is a cut about your average local indie band. Moving on.

This band certainly know how to work a room, from the opening song they had the crowd moving and dancing like the crazed hipsters they were. One thing that pleased me was the fact that the frontman has lost his storytelling mannerisms on stage. Where previously he had told elaborate stories about the origins of songs, he now keeps it simple and streamline, and only introduces the song with a concise spiel. “Andy” was one of the biggest hits of the night, along with the band's two closers, “Honalulu” and “Zoom”. The band covered a mash up of two songs, “Lady” by Modjo and Sophie Ellis Bextor's “Groovejet (If this Ain’t Love)”. It was a moment of pure gold. So, so well done.

I believe Last Dinosaurs have really stepped it up a notch. They were pretty much flawless, and such a tight ensemble. They have come a long way in a relatively short period of time. In saying that though, we did have to wait a hell of a long time for this album to drop. Was it worth it? I vote yes!

Bluejuice - 14 April 2012, The HiFi

w/ The Cairos, Gung Ho

After many a festival gig, Bluejuice have returned to the touring scene in support of Company, the band's third and arguably most successful album. Joining them on this psychedelic adventure were The Cairos and youngsters Gung Ho.

Gung Ho are an interesting kettle of fish. In one breath, I love them, and in the next I immensely dislike then. Here’s why: the music they create with their instruments is flawless. Each and every song has a different drum feel, which keeps every song sounding different and unique. Same with the guitar and bass riffs - they complement this intrigue created by the drums. I love it. However, I believe that the vocals that sit on top of this sensational instrumental work muddle it, and make the band sound weaker than they really are. I believe a band to be a whole package kind of experience, and I’m just not sure about Gung Ho.

It has been over a year and a half since I last heard even a whisper from The Cairos (shame on me), and they have completely come about! Their sound has matured from sounding like the garage band next door to something worthy of praise on The HiFi stage. “Listening Party” is still an amazing song, even though it is now classified as “one of their older songs”. Their new songs, in comparison, have a vibe that I think has that little something else. By the time they hit their two Triple J hits - new single “Shame”, and “We All Buy Stars” - I was set that this band are definitely a force to be reckoned with. Except maybe the drummer. He just looked bored through the entirety of the set. Like it was all a bit of an effort for him to be there...

Bluejuice. Let’s put it this way; they certainly don’t disappoint when going for an entertaining show. Frontmen Jake and Stav are born performers. The band once again donned their fluro coloured, ultra-violet costumes and stage decorations for the occasion, and in The HiFi, it looked sensational. Something certainly has to be said about their set list. They begun with “Can’t Keep Up”, and it all went up hill crazy from there. It also showcases tracks from across their three LP releases, with, sensibly, the majority coming form their latest, Company. But what I love is that they still play songs like “Vitriol”, “Work”, and “(Ain’t) Telling the Truth”. Like their coastal tour, they were joined on stage by two female backing vocalists, which gave the vocals a little something more. This was especially necessary when Jake decided to go for a little crowd surf or a walk along the side wing railing. If you’ve ever been to the Brisbane HiFi, you will appreciate this. He made it almost to the lower mosh pit stairs before his mic cable ran out of length and he had to be reeled back in. That is certainly something I’ve not seen before!

Something else that was most impressive was the use of the data projector to accompany their performance. There were faces mouthing the words to songs – perfectly in time, I will add, as well as lyrics floating across the screen and a whole song worth of semi-censored porn. But my personal favourite was the accompaniment to their second to last song “Act Yr Age”. If you haven’t seen the video clip for the song, watch it right now, and then read on. This particular visual featured Jake and his granny lady-friend in some more ‘encounters’. There was neck nuzzling, there was pashing, and there was some unseen business going on downstairs. You can’t help but love it.

In all honesty, this band are one of the live acts to see right now. They are over the top crazygood. Everything slotted together to create one hell of a show, and something they can be proud of.

Ball Park Music - 24 March 2012, The Hifi

w/ Nantes, Cub Scouts

Ball Park Music have certainly been making some noise in Australian music of late. Their singles “Literally Baby” and “All I Want Is You” are still all over Triple J. So, it’s any wonder that their latest National tour, the “180° Tour”, has sold out shows in the major capital cities with second and third shows announced all over the country. Brisbane was graced with the pleasure of the third show on the tour, after Coolangatta and Byron, and for their home town performance the band had more than a couple of surprises up their sleeves.

Cub Scouts opened the night with their infections pop infused tunes. I was unlucky enough to only catch the tail end of their set, however, what I did hear was enough to tell me that I need to know more of this band.

After a brief intermission, Nantes graced the stage with their dirty synth infused sounds. This band is solid. Good live, and put on an entertaining show. My problem only with them is that they’re a little bit same-same. In the early part of their set, the songs used such a limited vocal range that the songs lost their uniqueness and punch. I would say that vocals aren’t the bands’ strong suite, especially when all the members of the band are singing together. The instrumentals, on the other hand, were really tight and captivating, especially with the synths adding colour to the live sound. However, in saying all of this, as the set progressed, they won me over, and started growing on me at a rapid rate. And by the time they hit their last song, “Fly”, I was a fan.

Ball Park Music. Where do I even start? From the moment the HiFi curtains opened there were helium remote controlled balloon marine animals, a surfer riff, played by five members of the band and fromtman Sam Cromack being, well, Sam Cromack. This gentleman certainly knows how to make an entrance. He brought his bottle of wine out onto stage while the others are playing, toasted the audience, and took a swig, before seamlessly transitioning into opener, “Literally Baby”. It’s been quite a while since I have seen these youngsters play, and it’s incredible just how far they have come. It’s leaps and bounds ahead of where they were previously (and they were mighty fine then, just for the record). They previewed two new tracks that may or may not be from their future album release. And oh my, they were something delightful. “Pot of Gold” was particularly intriguing, starting off with something a little mellower, then building into something insane.

Now, Miss Jennifer Boyce has been a very brave girl and has pledged to shave off all her hair for charity in support of the Leukemia Foundation’s Greatest Shave. Mid way through the bands’ incredible Live A Version cover of the Flaming Lips’ “Do You Realise?” one of the backstage crew walked on stage with a pair of scissors, and chopped of her ponytail, leaving the bass player with quite a striking Mohawk. Facebook has since told me that the band raised over $1000 in the collection buckets placed around the venue. Just in this one night. Kudos. This will go towards what she has already raised to date.

My personal highlight of the night was the bands’ live rendition of “Happy Healthy Citizen of the Developed World Blues”. Simply stunning is all I will say. They finished the set with hit single “It’s Nice to Be Alive” before returning to the stage for an encore performance of The Kinks’ “All Day and All of the Night”.

To say that this bands’ set was phenomenal would be understatement. They actually blew it out of the Ball Park. Get along to their second Brisbane show on May 11 if you can, you certainly won’t regret it.

The Jungle Giants - 17 February 2021, Alhumbra

w/ San Cisco, Argentina

Coming off the back of Hottest 100 success, San Cisco joined forces with The Jungle Giants to tour the country with the Politely Awkward Tour. Joining these two powerhouses on the Brisbane leg of the tour was local gig junkies Argentina. To say this gig was simply awesome would be an understatement. It was all kinds of awesome!

Argentina are gathering quite a name for themselves of late. They can be seen almost every weekend playing either Oh Hello! for Cobra Kai or some other venue around town. Tonight they played the opening spot at Alhambra. I do believe they are even better than when I saw them in late December.

They have a sweet backing track that lays the foundations for all their tracks, and it complements what they are producing live on their instruments. They do have a strong percussive element to their sound in two floor toms out the front, in addition to a full kit. This is a good thing. I hear that the band has been in the studio, too. I predict their EP is going to be something special.

Up next were San Cisco. I was under the impression that these guys were headlining the tour, but I was mistaken. This isn’t a bad thing, just unexpected... especially coming of the back of hitting number seven on Triple J’s Hottest 100. The band stepped up their game tonight to hit it right out of the ball park. So much tighter then when I saw them in September. They do like to have a lot of nonsense lyrics in their songs. Take “Lover” for example, opening with a do-do-da-da... not to mention the hit "Awkward" itself. It does have a ridiculously catchy synth riff though... who am I kidding? This band is awesome! Despite a little bit of generic Indie-ness thrown in the mix, they have something quite brilliant going on. They finished the set with “Awkward”, easily their most unique song.

By this stage, Alhambra was beyond packed. From the back of the room you couldn’t even see the band, and from the front, it was a hot, sweaty mosh. When The Jungle Giants finally took to the stage, oh what a ruckus they created! A solid set from the band that certainly are doing well for themselves. “Mr. Polite” has been a smash on Triple J, and I don’t see this band slowing down as we enter the guts of 2012.

The night was insane. So many people, so much awesome music, too little dancing space. For these two bands, Alhambra is not the venue anymore. They are moving up in the world.

Astrid and the Asteroids - 27 January 2012, The Zoo

w/ Bec Laughton, Miss Elm

It’s always an exciting night when an EP is released, and I am always privileged to be apart of it. Especially when the band is one that has seemingly come out from outer space. The band: Astrid and the Asteroids. The Venue: The Zoo, Brisbane, Australia, Southern Hemisphere, Planet Earth. The mission: Bring the house down.

Up first for the night however was the quirky Miss Elm. She had a mighty shaky start taking a second go at the opening chords to the first song. Now, I know this young lady has got a few gigs up her sleeve, but it sounded like it was one of her first gig at a friends’ birthday, not a opening spot at The Zoo. Her friendly crowd banter was all over the place. She would start introducing her next song, then mid-sentence stop to introduce her band, before starting again with the long introduction to her song. Also, you need to have a solid set list. Not “let the crowd decided”, which they didn’t, making her a little bit awkward on stage tossing a mascot in the air to decide. Um.. ok! Despite this, her songs are really catchy numbers with “Second Hand” being one of my particular favorites.

Up next was Bec Laughton with a nautical themed stage setting. In all honesty, she blew me away. Put three vocalists in sailor hats, with keys, bass, guitar, drums, and a cajon and you get something full of soul and funk. This was as professional as an up and coming band can get. I found myself unintentionally pulsing to the music, and feeling the funky-reggae-soulfulness that this small white young lady was throwing in our faces. This is a good thing. The three-part harmony between Bec and the other two singers, a girl and a guy, was delightful! Their voices meshed so well together within the songs, and that made the whole package just that much more amazing. Something that really stood out for me, in this band compared to Miss Elm for example, was the passion and presentation on stage. Every member was a part of the music, especially the three singers. There was not a second where they were not moving or getting into the groove of the songs their were playing. Also, Bec Laughton’s vocals in themselves? Beautiful. Simple, and powerfully intense.

And then, just as a real asteroid was passing a “near-miss” from Earth, came Astrid and her Asteroids! In spandex! Just like all good little astronauts.. After a musical introduction from the Asteroids, Astrid came onto stage to get the party started. Her music has a jazz flavor to it, which is subtle, yet evident within her pop-infused song writing. The Asteroids left the stage at one point for Astrid to perform “Electric Ceiling” a serious and somber song that showed off the frontwoman’s sensational vocals.

She has a vocal range that most females would die for! Her lower register is full and rich while her high register, well, it’s astronomical! There was a bit of a space theme to the bands’ songs and it works really well, setting the band apart from the ordinary. They played songs from their debut EP Horoscopes, which they were launching tonight, new material, as well as a cover of Justin Timberlake’s “Senorita” which I though may was a bold choice, but turned out to be utterly incredible! Full of spunk.

What a night, full of so much brand new music from new artists. Look them up and you won’t be disappointed!

LeSuits - 20 January 2012, The Zoo

w/ Tin Can Radio, The Kamikazi Thunderkats, The Worriers

The four bands tonight have two things in common. Lots of brass and lots of hair. For their EP launch, LeSuits brought together a line up of stellar bands for a show that was more than a little weirdly, awesomely crazy.

Up first were rookies The Worriers. This three piece are a good little up and coming band for which tonight was their debut “recital”. They have lots of good ideas and their musical material is solid. One thing they do need is a bit of refining. But one has to start somewhere, and what better place to start than an opening slot for a band at The Zoo.

The Kamikazi Thunderkats were up next with some crazy blues-funk-jazz-reggae-craziness. The seven piece boasted two trumpets and a trombone to complement the eccentric frontman with harmonies and blasts that really gave something else to the set. Something quite memorable from their set was their cover of the “Arthur” intro theme tune in their own unique style. Bring back the nostalgic childhood memories! To top off their set full of weird and wacky brilliance, was the their final song about a zombie taco complete with costumed character engaging in a mock fight with the frontman. It certainly was a sight to behold.

My pick for the night was definitely Tin Can Radio. This underappreciated Brisbane band is sensational. If looking at crowd and their response to the music is anything to judge by, then the band have it in one. It is with this band that we start talking about the hair of the night. Each (male) member has hair longer than most girls and they were not afraid to utilise it. The bass player especially, his hair was beautiful. Musically, the band is faultless.

Each song has a different riff that is catchy beyond all reason with “Skeletons” being a particularly good example of this. There was, however, a certain lack of new material in the set. It has been quite some time since I heard the band live, and it seems they’re playing much the same material. They tell us that they’re going to the studio soon. I for one am very excited by this.

LeSuits. Where do I start? With the stuffed bear that “talked” to the crowd to open the set, the hoola-hooping groupie, or same hoola-hooping groupie now turned feather fan-waving striptease? It was a little over the top weird for my tastes. The band does boast a four-piece horn section comprising of two trumpets, a trombone and a baritone saxophone which does give the band a little something else, but for the most part it was all a bit all over the place.

They went from one style to the next with no real continuity in their set. When Rob on keys came forward for frontman duties, it was very reminiscent of a Jack Black wannabe. Strange and maybe a little misunderstood. Their music got a little lost for me with all the banter and craziness going on stage between the nine-piece. But you know what? Despite all of this, it was certainly a lot of fun. The crowd around me certainly thought so too.

Montpelier - 14 January 2012, The Zoo

w/ Charlie Mayfair, Kate & Max

It’s always a sad day when a band decides it’s time to call it quits, and for the band Montpelier, it’s quite sad indeed. Although they are not the most well known group in Brisbane, they do have a loyal little band of followers, and I won’t lie, I am one of them. I’ve been with them for most of their two and a half year stint, going to the majority of their Brisbane gigs.

The issue I’ve always had with the band is that while their songs are brilliant, they are just boring to watch on stage. Tonight, however, can I just make clear, was not your normal Montpelier gig. There was nothing boring about it. It was something more, something truly special.

Up first for the night were the wondrous Kate & Max, a duo who really are quite something. Between four guitars and a melodica, they created such beautiful folk-infused songs. I do admire a band who can be so comfortable sitting while playing a gig - it was like they were in a room a quarter of the size of The Zoo - but due to the social nature of tonight, it was a little hard to capture their raw essence, but you got the picture.

Here's something different for all those who have been to The Zoo! Remember that red hue that so often gleams from above as the default lighting colour? Thanks to Andrew Stone, of Montpelier fame, we had a stage that had some green lights! And blue! And white! There was even a little bit of purple/UV thrown into the mix. This makes me very happy. It doesn’t take much, just someone to flick a few buttons on a panel, but it makes all the difference!

Charlie Mayfair was up as the main support for Montpelier’s last hurrah. For a band that is usually quite folky and poppy, it was quite strange to hear everything bumped up so loud. Not that this was a bad thing - it’s been quite some time since I heard the band live, but it surprised me a little. They have certainly developed as a band and have definitely moved forward. No longer are they one of the bands that sound very similar on stage to what they do on record; they bring something else to the table. It’s very nice to see. 2012 is going to be a good year for Charlie Mayfair. It was strange to see Irena missing from stage tonight. Together with Hannah and Dave, their vocals work so well in harmony. However, they roped Greg from Montpelier in to cover what was missing, and it was a nice touch.

Although this was such a sad event because it marked the end of a band, it was such a great set from the band. They played for an hour and a half, showcasing almost their entire catalogue. Miss Hannah from Charlie Mayfair joined them on stage for “Harder Time”. It is quite a special song, truly beautiful. There were lots of old favourites from their debut EP, as well as many from their new EP, Feed the City, which the band were releasing this night also. I have mentioned that usually the band are a little dull on stage, but tonight was a complete one-eighty to what I have seen previously from the band; they were so engaging, and put everything they had into the set. It was a privilege to be there.

Vengaboys - 11 January 2012, The HiFi

w/ The Herbs, DJ Sammy Rowland

This must be the year of the 90s Revival. Vengaboys are touring Australia currently, and Aqua has announced that they are touring the country in March. To tell you the truth, I wasn’t expecting a spectacular show from the Vengaboys in their opening night of the tour at The Hi-Fi, and you know what? It was so bad it was good! If you’d come expecting quality and a serious musical performance, you were destined to be disappointed, but if you took it for what it was, you were blow away with awesomeness.

Let me start from the beginning. Upon entering The Hi-Fi, DJ Sammy Rowland was pumping out the 90s hits and creating one hell of a nostalgic dance party. Think Backstreet Boys, Spice Girls, Blue, N*Sync, and pretty much any cliché 90’s hit you can think of. She made me chuckle quite a bit. Every time she got a hit the crowd loved she grinned like a small child.

After a brief close of the curtains (with the 90s dance party continuing with some Spice Girls hits), The Herbs took to the stage in their sequin-y glory. To say that it was a mood killer would be an understatement. The Herbs, for those who don’t know (don’t worry, I hadn’t heard of them either), are a Spice Girls tribute/re-interpretation band. This was Spice Girls as you’ve never heard before. Indie-synth-pop “goodness”. If you had heard this band in a setting outside a Vengaboys support slot, you would have thought “what the…” And as I looked around, there were still a lot of people thinking this. But I think they went with it the same way I did. They’re a support for the Vengaboys! They have to be ok, right? Right? For me though, it really didn’t suit the mood that the DJ had created and that the Vengaboys soon created.

Ten years out of the game is quite a long time, and to be able to come back form that is certainly an achievement. And for a band that built their career on less than ten hits, it makes it an even greater achievement. Picture this: Elton John, and the entire cast of Priscilla Queen of the Desert, covered it with sequins and glitter and throw it into the middle of Mardi Gras, and you know what? It still wouldn’t be as camp as this. My one issue with the set was the fact that they played for 35 minutes, and for their one encore song, they played “Boom, Boom, Boom, Boom” a song they’d already played in their main set. There were also a lot of their main songs missing from the set, and it would have been awesome to hear one of those songs instead of repeating something. Also, between songs, in their obligatory crowd banter, while it was friendly, it seemed very scripted, and a tiny bit insincere.

But really, who cares about all of this! It’s the Vengaboys!

Bluejuice - 8 January 2012, The Coolangatta Hotel (Gold Coast)

w/ The Aston Shuffle

As a Brisbane girl, there are not many venues where you can step out of a gig and walk straight out onto the beach. It was a bit of a novelty, a ridiculously fun novelty. The reason for this road trip to The Coolangatta Hotel was Bluejuice’s Sizzling costal tour. Teaming up with The Aston Shuffle certainly brought out one hell of a sweaty summer dance party.

Indie-electro-house rockers The Aston Shuffle are quite something. The duo brought a crowd, that was a little less than willing, on a journey that by the end of it had them, eating out of the palm of the artists’ hands. I haven’t had the pleasure of witnessing many artists from this genre live, so it was educational for me. To look at, there was a lot of leg popping to the beat as well as lots of head nodding. It was awesome! I love seeing musicians getting into their own creations. Music wise, the duo was tight. There was a perfect combination between the preprogrammed music and the live riffs and electronics they were manipulating. More to the point though, it is smart music that actually has brains behind its creation. My personal highlight of the non-stop set was their single “Start Again”.

What I should have mentioned earlier was the staging at the venue. Fluro tape enhanced with UV lights. Bluejuice, you’re genius. It looked incredible. So simple, yet the most effective staging I have possibly ever encountered. From the moment they bounced onto stage, Bluejuice never let the energy in the room die. On stage talked of prostitutes, cocaine as well as other shenanigans when two and two go together – you catch my drift. Some things to note: Jake is one of the most eccentric frontmen I’ve seen in a good long while. While swinging his fluro tape covered mic about, it few off, and mysteriously disappeared… I have no idea if it was ever found. Combine this with Stav’s antics also, and you have something truly hectic. Second thing of note: the backing vocalists had choreographed the entire set, so whenever you would catch a glimpse of them, they were doing some wacky dancing completely different to the last time you looked. It was strangely wonderful. But I think that’s what this band are all about.

What I really like about Bluejuice’s set tonight was the fact that they didn’t limit themselves to playing songs from their new album, Company. They delved back into their past with a whole bunch of songs from their second album Head of the Hawk, as well as a couple from their debut LP, Problems. Each of their songs retains the energy of the last, and that makes for one hell of a party. There was an abundance of crowd participation, and Master Stav made sure that this occurred on a regular basis.

What a way to kick off the year! This was truly an amazing gig. And what made it all the better was the fact that it wasn’t at a festival, it was something a little more intimate, but no less as outrageous.

Hey Geronimo - 22 December 2011, Oh Hello

w/ The Moderns, Argentina, Dunes

This lovely, rainy Thursday evening brought the Cobra Kai Chrismukkah party to Oh Hello. The festivities were celebrated though a diverse array of bands, as well as some liquid Christmas presents distributed by the venue.

First up for the night were Dunes, and to tell you the truth, the most interesting thing about the set was when Gotye's film clip for “Heart’s a Mess” was projected up on the side wall. It’s not that the band was bad, it was more that the sound was so mucky that you could distinguish nothing from a mash of sound. This made them sound so generic that it was a little bit painful.

I don’t know what was going on with the sound tonight, or who the sound guy was, but Argentina's set was the complete opposite to Dunes’. Everything was clearer and more defined, and it made all the difference. It probably also helped that the band had some really great tunes that were each unique in their own way, with no trace of generic material. It was interesting to hear the front man, Alex Ritchie, comment on how surprised he was to be playing for so many people. I can’t imagine why he said this! I do believe this new band are really something to watch out for!

With The Moderns, it was back to that mucky sound we had been privileged to in Dunes’ set. The Moderns are an interesting band. After hearing them a couple of times live now, I still can’t work out what niche their music fits into. There was lots of rock, a tiny bit of indie-pop (they probably won’t like me for saying that), some funk, and also some twelve bar blues. But there was nothing that really said to me 'this is what the band is all about'. Their cover of “Burning Down the House” is always a winner, yet is easily their best song. And it’s a cover. That’s not really the way it’s meant to be. With their final song, I thought I had finally discovered something of solidarity for the band. They played an awesome song utilising a twelve bar blues kind of form, but then mid song, they changed it up to a generic rock number! Why!? The song was so good, and then I lost all interest...

Hey Geronimo are nothing short of a brilliant new band. However, this venue, I believe, is not the place for them. The sound is bollocks! So, so bad. Having seen them only a couple of weeks ago at The Zoo, there was no comparison! Their songs were all amazing, but their harmonies were a little off tonight, due to the fact that after each of the first couple of songs they would say time after time, “more vocals on stage”. The sound was also a bit of a mush, however not as bad as some of the previous bands. This band are incredible, and given a decent venue, they will bring the house down!

All in all, a pretty decent gig. Despite the terrible sound, there was some amazing talent playing, and I am always pleased when there is something that leaves me wanting. This band tonight was Argentina. They are awesome. Look them up.

Rare Finds 2011 - 3 December 2011, The Zoo

Trouble with Templeton, Tinian's Boy, Kate Martin, Founds, Teleprompter, Hey Geronimo, The Dead Leaves, YesYou

There was something new and different around Brisbane on the weekend. It was called Rare Finds, and it was insane in the best possible way. Imagine: a dedicated team bringing together fourteen brilliant local bands to play at The Zoo across two stages. Well that’s exactly what this event was! The great thing about Rare Finds was that each band played a half hour set, but if you felt in the mood, you could catch a full set from one band, and then a half set from the band playing on the other stage. This meant you could enjoy a little something from every band... if you were OK with no down time that is. This is exactly what I tried to achieve.

I unfortunately missed Cub Scouts and Kate & Max but from what I hear they were pretty rad first up. I entered just as The Trouble With Templeton started on the Main Stage. The one man act put out some good, upbeat tunes, and this is an achievement for a guy on an acoustic guitar. I wanted to hear more, but instead I moved on to the Laneway Stage to hear some of Tinian’s Boy. I had heard so much about this band, but never heard their songs live. To tell you the truth, this was not the best set to hear them as a first time. Unfortunately, mid set, after a quiet introduction to one of their singles, the power shorted out, leaving the stage with no mics, no amps and no lights. Despite this, the frontman kept on singing, making light of the situation with some interesting lyrics. There were many distressed organisers trying to resolve the problem. After some awkward silence, the frontman got on the drums and played an epic drum solo. After the power came back on, the band finished off their set, making the best of a bad situation. Luckily, this didn’t happen again during the night.

Back on the Main Stage, Kate Martin lit the room with her stunning vocals. The beauty is in her simplicity and lightness. The songs are heartfelt and their meanings explicitly clear. Her backing band complemented her very well in their soft spokenness, however, the harmonies between the keys player and Kate herself, I felt were a little off in places though. Her latest single “Apples” leads the singer on a more mature songwriting path. This is a good thing. When Kate finished it was back to the Laneway Stage to catch the end of New Manic Spree. These guys grooved out hard, especially bass player Gwen Warnick. She was hardcore. Their song structures are really interesting to listen to. Very different to other bands I have heard in some songs, but in others, quite the norm. I don’t know what to make of this band. All I know is that they were fun to watch, which is always a good thing when you’re watching a band.

I’ve heard the name Founds before, but actually had no idea what they were all about. And you know what? They blew my mind. Absolutely blew my mind. First off, the singer was sensational. Her sweet vocals soared so effortlessly over the rest band, who weren’t holding anything back, and carried the group. Also the harmonies between the keys player guy on bass guitar were exquisite. Secondly, I usually comment on how bands have useless members. In this band, everyone had a part. The violin player, the keys player, and even the extra floor tom the lead singer played on occasion. I can’t adequately describe just how much this band surprised me with their talent. I think I have found my new favourite Brisbane band. Back at the Laneway Stage, Teleprompter just didn’t do it for me. It’s hard to follow something that has blown your mind. They did have a good rock feel going on, and I do appreciate that. I didn’t stay long, as I wanted a good spot for my pick on the night Hey Geronimo.

This band is the biggest mish-mash in Brisbane at the moment. The band consists of: Pete and Rosco from Blame Ringo, Greg and Andrew from Montpelier, and Tony from The Boat People. Awesome much? In the first song, a “country ballad” as they called it, it was interesting how each member sang lines of the verses in conjunction with singing the chorus’ in harmony. Not many bands do this, but I think more should. It was clear the Pete on guitar had main frontman duties, but this didn’t stop Greg and Rosco having songs of their own also. This band is insane! Too much fun for one stage! I found myself grinning like a fool as they played, I just couldn’t help myself. They have retained the Blame Ringo feel, but have stepped up the quality of the music. “Why Don’t We Do Something” their latest single, with the video clip that converts iPhone games into real life, was stellar, and just too much fun! They do a bit of everything. Including rap. Go figure. For me, easily the highlight of the night.

I decided to chill for a bit and wait for The Dead Leaves down on the Laneway Stage. I really like the band on record, especially frontman Matt Joe Gow’s vocals, however, now that I’ve seen them live, I am a little disappointed. They are exactly the same in front of you as they are on record. The same inflections in the vocals and everything. It was eerie. I do like this band, but they were just a little boring to watch. It’s good when a band is a little raw on stage, or not perfect. It’s makes them real.

Last up for the night were YesYou with their first ever Headline show. These guys were definitely the most diverse of the night. “The Half of It” the bands’ single, featuring and co-written by James O’Brien from The Boat People, certainly does not sum up this band. They are so much more. Performing along side the due was Miss Tara Simmons. The song that had been co-written with the lovely songstress was a 180 flip from the collaboration with James. And everything else, well it went from one feel to the next. It was pretty rad.

This night was very interestingly awesome gig. It had the likes of Kate Martin and Founds along side that of Hey Geronimo and YesYou. Such a diverse array of bands brings in all types of people, and that’s what made the even so successful. Kudos to the team at Rare Finds, this is the kind of something I want to see more of in Brisbane in 2012.