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.
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
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.
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.
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