September is a wondrous time for Brisbane arts. It’s when the famous
traveling Spiegeltent comes to town as part of Brisbane Festival.
Tonight was the return of The Basics. After a three-year hiatus, the band was back with a vengeance to prove themselves as one of the best live acts around.
Where do I even start? As knowledge would have it, The Basics are Kris Schroeder, Tim Heath and Wally De Backer.
When they came on stage in their dapper suits bang on 7.15pm (early I
know!), the room went bananas. Me included. My one an only previous
experience of The Basics was their final ever show before taking a break
for an undisclosed period of time.
They played mostly songs from their early releases with a handful of
new songs thrown in as well. They did this as the 'late' show was going
to feature some newer material. They opened without saying a word
playing “The No. 1 Cause of Death Amongst Youth Today”, which is such a
strong song to start with. They then began the friendly banter that
would continue for the rest of the evening. I’m going to provide you
with some insight form the minds of these men throughout the review
starting with Wally asking after the first song to have
'A bee’s dick more foldback. I can’t hear my voice', Kris then went on to pay out Wally’s 'beautiful' voice.
Speaking of Mr De Backer, he is sensational on the drums. I was fully
expecting him to break a cymbal or at least a stick or two! Also, he
looks so incredibly happy when he plays the drums. And everytime
something maybe wasn’t perfect, he would have a little chuckle and smile
to himself. By the time they reached “Rattle My Chain” and “Memory
Lane”, they had the audience in the palms of their hands. It made me
laugh when they introduced the year of one of these songs and they
couldn’t actually remember when they first recorded it and a member of
the audience corrected them.
Wally’s newbie “Roundabout” proves that you don’t need genius lyrics
to have a sensational song. The word roundabout was used more than few
time in the song but that didn’t lessen the beauty of the song. Their
final song of the set was Tim’s song, “Hey Rain” which he dedicated to
Northern Queensland. It was simply stunning to hear all three men
singing in luscious harmony with only Tim’s guitar for accompaniment. It
was still the Basics as we know and love them, just in a more mature
way.
Of cause they came back for an encore. Everyone knows it’s not over
till the house music comes on! Kris lead the band in a somber break-up
song with actually brought a tear to my eye. His voice has such a fine,
tight vibrato that just envelops all around it. The songs as a whole was
just too beautiful, and as I write this memories come flooding back of
the mood he created. Think “All or Nothing”, but even more intense.
They finished their hour and a bit long set with two covers. I
thought it appropriate that they perform The Beatles’ “Come Together”,
as they to me are a modern Beatles when they play in that true
rock’n’roll genre. They then played their version of The Police’s
“Roxanne”. After the first verse, Wally said, 'Oo, that was a bit fast
wasn’t it!' Immediately, the next verse was slower. Incredible!
This has got to be one of the best gigs I’ve been to in a long time.
Such an incredible band with the power to actually engage the audience
in friendly banter between songs rather than just bore them with trivial
nothings. I was laughing my ass off. Yes LMAO. No, seriously, they made
me giggle uncontrollably, and left me leaving with a grin on my face.
That is how a gig should be.
Monday, September 16, 2013
BIGSOUND Live (Night 2) - 12 September 2013, Fortitude Valley
w/ Melbourne Ska Orchestra, Tigertown, Dubmarine, Calling All Cars, Sheppard, Eden Mulhollandm Hey Geronimo, Spender
Welcome back to coverage from Brisbane’s premier music conference and live showcase, BIGSOUND! (crowd goes wild) Tonight will feature the likes of Hey Geronimo, Sheppard, The Jungle Giants, Dubmarine, Tigertown and the Melbourne Ska Orchestra, among others. However, let us begin with at Electric Playground.
Spender opened BIGSOUND night two at the old church with his soulful loop filled tunes. The thing that makes Tommy Spender unique, is his use of his Tenor Sax. The loops that he creates with the instrument and his vocals in combination make for such interesting live combinations. “Never Again” is such a cool tune and I think really captures what he is all about.
Up next was Hey Geronimo at the Bakery Lane stage. Okay, so I didn’t think it had been that long since I last saw this band play, however they were sporting two new members on bass and keys. Regardless of the loss, they are still almost too much fun to handle. Their set was full of old favorites and new tunes with “Carbon Affair” still being one of highlights of the set.
Eden Mulholland was next up at Alhambra Lounge. I wish that I had got to see more of this lad. He had such an interesting vibe to his songs. One moment it was just him singing with a guitar in an almost folk-like manner, then next minute the band came in and it morphed into a heavy garage jam. It was awesome. And then the set ended! Damn! Here’s one to check out post BIGSOUND.
Now, I’ve heard a lot of hype about my next act Sheppard but not really caught up with it yet. I know they were finalists in the Q Music Awards, so I was really curious to see what they were all about. To be perfectly honest, I was blown away! They are ridiculously fun and entertaining. Kudos to the bass player for having pink strings on her bass, with matching nail polish and strap. Both the singers had interesting qualities to their vocals, and worked so well together and with the rest of the band. They were clearly loved by their crowd and vibed off this to up their act. It was one of the best of the night.
You know as soon as you see ‘Tempo Hotel’ on the program it was going to be loud, but Calling All Cars were just stupidly loud! Stupidly loud, and awesome that is! They are such a tight band and put on an amazing show! The bands’ new single “Werewolves” is definitely going to be a hit!
Unfortunately I couldn’t get into The Jungle Giants, due to a huge ass line, which led me across the road to Dubmarine. Sometimes it’s the unexpected and seemingly unknown that make the biggest impression on a listener at an event like this. Dumbarine was that for me. I had no idea what to expect and what I got was amazeballs. They have so much energy, creating music with a funky groove. Their reggae and hip-hop sounds really had the crowd pumping. I’ve seen the Jungle Giants more than a couple of times and it was nice to see something maybe I wouldn’t have picked off the program. Really impressed.
The night just kept getting better and better with Tigertown at the Triple J Unearthed stage at Oh Hello! I freaking love this band. All the voices work so well together and the music they create together is the right amount of indie-pop with enough imagination to avoid that generic sound that is coming out of some Australian bands at the moment. Highlight of the set has to be when mid song, two “audience” members held up tom drums and became part of the song. Rad! Also, it needs to be said that the “BIGSOUND Jam Jars” at Oh Hello were absolutely amazing.
The final act of BIGSOUND was also the single highlight of the entire festival. Melbourne Ska Orchestra. I don’t think I’ve ever really quite seen anything like it. 26 people on the 5x4m stage that was Bakery Lane including stands for the 11+ member horn section. They opened the set with their version of the “Get Smart Theme” and as soon as frontman Nicky Bomba started controlling the crowd at the end of the song and getting them to interact with the final chords of the song, I knew we were all in for the time of our nights. The orchestra themselves were having so much fun onstage, despite the lack of personal space, and were waving their instruments around and dancing just as much as the rest of the crowd were. And oh my! There were steel drums! STEEL DRUMS! I know you’d expect it in a ska and reggae band, but still, Steel Drums!
When the orchestra finished their sensational set, they had a play off song where all the members weaved their way though the crowd and out the lane. And everyone followed them. We all went for a walk through the valley, slowly making our way to the Brunswick Street Mall were they played stationary for a while before playing their way back to the lane. In reality where there set should have been 30 minutes, it ended up being at least 45 minutes. Every second was incredible.
And it’s over for another year. 20 live acts over two nights. I feel empty! On a serious note, I said this last year, but I will say it again: If Brisbane live music has this many options for music venues on an everyday basis, things would be grand. However, of the 12 BIGSOUND venues, only six host shows on a regular basis. What does that say?
Well done BIGSOUND. You have brought out the best Brisbane, nay, Australia has to offer and thrown it at us. Thank you.
Welcome back to coverage from Brisbane’s premier music conference and live showcase, BIGSOUND! (crowd goes wild) Tonight will feature the likes of Hey Geronimo, Sheppard, The Jungle Giants, Dubmarine, Tigertown and the Melbourne Ska Orchestra, among others. However, let us begin with at Electric Playground.
Spender opened BIGSOUND night two at the old church with his soulful loop filled tunes. The thing that makes Tommy Spender unique, is his use of his Tenor Sax. The loops that he creates with the instrument and his vocals in combination make for such interesting live combinations. “Never Again” is such a cool tune and I think really captures what he is all about.
Up next was Hey Geronimo at the Bakery Lane stage. Okay, so I didn’t think it had been that long since I last saw this band play, however they were sporting two new members on bass and keys. Regardless of the loss, they are still almost too much fun to handle. Their set was full of old favorites and new tunes with “Carbon Affair” still being one of highlights of the set.
Eden Mulholland was next up at Alhambra Lounge. I wish that I had got to see more of this lad. He had such an interesting vibe to his songs. One moment it was just him singing with a guitar in an almost folk-like manner, then next minute the band came in and it morphed into a heavy garage jam. It was awesome. And then the set ended! Damn! Here’s one to check out post BIGSOUND.
Now, I’ve heard a lot of hype about my next act Sheppard but not really caught up with it yet. I know they were finalists in the Q Music Awards, so I was really curious to see what they were all about. To be perfectly honest, I was blown away! They are ridiculously fun and entertaining. Kudos to the bass player for having pink strings on her bass, with matching nail polish and strap. Both the singers had interesting qualities to their vocals, and worked so well together and with the rest of the band. They were clearly loved by their crowd and vibed off this to up their act. It was one of the best of the night.
You know as soon as you see ‘Tempo Hotel’ on the program it was going to be loud, but Calling All Cars were just stupidly loud! Stupidly loud, and awesome that is! They are such a tight band and put on an amazing show! The bands’ new single “Werewolves” is definitely going to be a hit!
Unfortunately I couldn’t get into The Jungle Giants, due to a huge ass line, which led me across the road to Dubmarine. Sometimes it’s the unexpected and seemingly unknown that make the biggest impression on a listener at an event like this. Dumbarine was that for me. I had no idea what to expect and what I got was amazeballs. They have so much energy, creating music with a funky groove. Their reggae and hip-hop sounds really had the crowd pumping. I’ve seen the Jungle Giants more than a couple of times and it was nice to see something maybe I wouldn’t have picked off the program. Really impressed.
The night just kept getting better and better with Tigertown at the Triple J Unearthed stage at Oh Hello! I freaking love this band. All the voices work so well together and the music they create together is the right amount of indie-pop with enough imagination to avoid that generic sound that is coming out of some Australian bands at the moment. Highlight of the set has to be when mid song, two “audience” members held up tom drums and became part of the song. Rad! Also, it needs to be said that the “BIGSOUND Jam Jars” at Oh Hello were absolutely amazing.
The final act of BIGSOUND was also the single highlight of the entire festival. Melbourne Ska Orchestra. I don’t think I’ve ever really quite seen anything like it. 26 people on the 5x4m stage that was Bakery Lane including stands for the 11+ member horn section. They opened the set with their version of the “Get Smart Theme” and as soon as frontman Nicky Bomba started controlling the crowd at the end of the song and getting them to interact with the final chords of the song, I knew we were all in for the time of our nights. The orchestra themselves were having so much fun onstage, despite the lack of personal space, and were waving their instruments around and dancing just as much as the rest of the crowd were. And oh my! There were steel drums! STEEL DRUMS! I know you’d expect it in a ska and reggae band, but still, Steel Drums!
When the orchestra finished their sensational set, they had a play off song where all the members weaved their way though the crowd and out the lane. And everyone followed them. We all went for a walk through the valley, slowly making our way to the Brunswick Street Mall were they played stationary for a while before playing their way back to the lane. In reality where there set should have been 30 minutes, it ended up being at least 45 minutes. Every second was incredible.
And it’s over for another year. 20 live acts over two nights. I feel empty! On a serious note, I said this last year, but I will say it again: If Brisbane live music has this many options for music venues on an everyday basis, things would be grand. However, of the 12 BIGSOUND venues, only six host shows on a regular basis. What does that say?
Well done BIGSOUND. You have brought out the best Brisbane, nay, Australia has to offer and thrown it at us. Thank you.
BIGSOUND Live (Night 1) - 11 September 2013, Fortitude Valley
w/ Regurgitator, Eagle and the Worm, Karl S. Williams, Glass Towers, Stonefield, Willow, Tkay Maidza, Cub Sport, The Audreys, Patrick James
There is a magical time of the year, when all the stars align and the live music scene in Brisbane booms. This magical time of year is called BIGSOUND. Step 1: bring together industry gurus from all over the country and from across the seas and throw them together in a conference room for 4 days. Step 2: On the middle two nights, then bring them out for to party, and invite the people of Brisbane who love live music. Step 3: Watch the bliss unfold. This year BIGSOUND live boasted 120 acts over 12 glorious stages. This is a but snapshot of the two-night festival.
Opening night one of BIGSOUND Live was Patrick James at Ric’s Bar. There’s a warm spot in my heart for this gentleman and his band. They make me happy and put a smile on my face that I can’t wipe off. “Bugs” sensational song and was the perfect way to start BIGSOUND 2013. When the band breaks into 4 part harmonies, it is such an amazing sound. Put that in the narrow space of Ric’s and it envelops you and draws you right into their sound. Stunning.
Across the way at Black Bear Lodge were The Audreys. It was so nice to see the stage dressed for the occasion, complete with fairy lights! Frontwoman Taasha Coates is so charismatic and carries the band so unbelievably well with her pure vocals. There were also a decent amount of beards on stage. The Beards would approve. “Small Things” was definitely a highlight of the set, and really captured in one song what the band are all about.
Down at Channel V’s Stage at Coniston Lane was Cub Sport (formally known as Cub Scouts). This is the first time where I felt the party getting started. They are such a fun band all round, and their songs really endorse and encourage this. Frontman Tim Nelson has such a great tone to his vocals, even if he still looks 14. The bands’ new single “Paradise” is rad. It is a testament to this band that they can change up the arrangement of their music from tracked to live.
Warning: Etiquette rant. It is at this moment I will take a second to mention amateur photographer etiquette. People, you can’t just stand in front for the entire set and take awkward photos with your wanky hipster cameras holding them at arms length trying to get that shot of the drummer. There a thing called “zoom.” Use it. I’m all for photographing bands, in fact I encourage it, however get your shots, get out. People actually want to enjoy the bands they came to watch. Rant over.
Something completely different came to me form Tkay Maidza at The Triple J Unearthed stage at Oh Hello! Things you need to know about this young lady. One, she’s tiny! To compensate this she had at least 3-inch platform boots on. Two, she is a powerhouse! She has seemingly come out of nowhere to steal the BIGSOUND stage. You don’t see to many proper female rappers and she is pretty darn awesome. So much so that she blew the sound system at the venue. There was smoke, lots of smoke. She took it in her stride though. Re-plugged things and 5 minutes later she was back in action. Kudos!
At the Press Club, Willow were breaking hears with their soul infused tunes. Frontwoman Bianca Sciuto has such an “old” voice. It has all the colours and inflections of a 50s jazz singer. It was amazing to witness. In the final song of the set where it was just her and her guitarist, it was then I believe that she shone brightest. All the heaviness of the rest of the band was gone and it was raw, and rough just they way it should be!
Next was my first experience of the all girl rockers Stonefield. The sisters are still so younge and have so much talent! It still unbelievable. Their latest single “Put Your Curse On Me” Is just how it should be. Raw, untainted Aussie rock. As I was watching, witnessing a revival in ‘Girl Power’ I was thinking to myself that they’ve been around for a good couple of years now, and how the hell had I not seen them live until now…
Glass Towers were up next at the Channel V Stage with their own take on rock. They are a whole lot of fun and that led to a lot of uncontrollable flailing from the crowd. It may or may not have been some form of dancing. “Jumanji” was a really rad song and definitely the highlight of the set. It had a really interesting groove that was different from the rest of their set.
Karl S. Williams is an entity unto himself. He mesmerized the press club with his melodious guitar. His vocals reminded me of Antony Hegarty, brainchild of Antony and Johnsons. And I got a little bit of that vibe from him as well. He has an amazing falsetto voce and that really was showcased in his piano numbers. The song that goes “I fell for you, did you fall for me too” broke my heart! It was so stunning and beautifully performed.
Where have Eagle and the Worm been for the last little bit of my life! They seemed to have slipped off my radar, and this has made me realize that they are really on of the bands of look out for again this year. Brass always make a sound edition to any band, and for a party band such as EatW, it is a nobrainer. Tonight they showcased both old and new songs, with newbie “Electricity” being a true highlight. “Too Young” had some stunning 5-part harmonies and was a little Beatle-esk. Ending with “All I Know” was a great move. Really finished with a bang, and got those feet moving in the crowd.
I was so looking for to seeing Regurgitator again! But as I walked into Electric Playground, there was not a single centimeter of space. I ask myself, why oh why did they put them at that venue! Why not the Zoo! It is easily the biggest venue. As I stood at the back trying to enjoy the flawless music I could not see 2 meters in front of me. And I had to laugh at the soundman, (who was just in front of me) he was having even less luck than me. It was a shame really, as I was really looking forward to ending the night with the Gurge.
Whew! What a night! The highlight would have to be Eagle and the Worm though. They lost me for a little while, however I am now most definitely back on the band wagon. Unexpected pleasures were found in Glass Towers, Patrick James and Tkay Maidza. Three completely different acts, yet all so pleasing. Stay tuned, BIGSOUND is not done just yet.
There is a magical time of the year, when all the stars align and the live music scene in Brisbane booms. This magical time of year is called BIGSOUND. Step 1: bring together industry gurus from all over the country and from across the seas and throw them together in a conference room for 4 days. Step 2: On the middle two nights, then bring them out for to party, and invite the people of Brisbane who love live music. Step 3: Watch the bliss unfold. This year BIGSOUND live boasted 120 acts over 12 glorious stages. This is a but snapshot of the two-night festival.
Opening night one of BIGSOUND Live was Patrick James at Ric’s Bar. There’s a warm spot in my heart for this gentleman and his band. They make me happy and put a smile on my face that I can’t wipe off. “Bugs” sensational song and was the perfect way to start BIGSOUND 2013. When the band breaks into 4 part harmonies, it is such an amazing sound. Put that in the narrow space of Ric’s and it envelops you and draws you right into their sound. Stunning.
Across the way at Black Bear Lodge were The Audreys. It was so nice to see the stage dressed for the occasion, complete with fairy lights! Frontwoman Taasha Coates is so charismatic and carries the band so unbelievably well with her pure vocals. There were also a decent amount of beards on stage. The Beards would approve. “Small Things” was definitely a highlight of the set, and really captured in one song what the band are all about.
Down at Channel V’s Stage at Coniston Lane was Cub Sport (formally known as Cub Scouts). This is the first time where I felt the party getting started. They are such a fun band all round, and their songs really endorse and encourage this. Frontman Tim Nelson has such a great tone to his vocals, even if he still looks 14. The bands’ new single “Paradise” is rad. It is a testament to this band that they can change up the arrangement of their music from tracked to live.
Warning: Etiquette rant. It is at this moment I will take a second to mention amateur photographer etiquette. People, you can’t just stand in front for the entire set and take awkward photos with your wanky hipster cameras holding them at arms length trying to get that shot of the drummer. There a thing called “zoom.” Use it. I’m all for photographing bands, in fact I encourage it, however get your shots, get out. People actually want to enjoy the bands they came to watch. Rant over.
Something completely different came to me form Tkay Maidza at The Triple J Unearthed stage at Oh Hello! Things you need to know about this young lady. One, she’s tiny! To compensate this she had at least 3-inch platform boots on. Two, she is a powerhouse! She has seemingly come out of nowhere to steal the BIGSOUND stage. You don’t see to many proper female rappers and she is pretty darn awesome. So much so that she blew the sound system at the venue. There was smoke, lots of smoke. She took it in her stride though. Re-plugged things and 5 minutes later she was back in action. Kudos!
At the Press Club, Willow were breaking hears with their soul infused tunes. Frontwoman Bianca Sciuto has such an “old” voice. It has all the colours and inflections of a 50s jazz singer. It was amazing to witness. In the final song of the set where it was just her and her guitarist, it was then I believe that she shone brightest. All the heaviness of the rest of the band was gone and it was raw, and rough just they way it should be!
Next was my first experience of the all girl rockers Stonefield. The sisters are still so younge and have so much talent! It still unbelievable. Their latest single “Put Your Curse On Me” Is just how it should be. Raw, untainted Aussie rock. As I was watching, witnessing a revival in ‘Girl Power’ I was thinking to myself that they’ve been around for a good couple of years now, and how the hell had I not seen them live until now…
Glass Towers were up next at the Channel V Stage with their own take on rock. They are a whole lot of fun and that led to a lot of uncontrollable flailing from the crowd. It may or may not have been some form of dancing. “Jumanji” was a really rad song and definitely the highlight of the set. It had a really interesting groove that was different from the rest of their set.
Karl S. Williams is an entity unto himself. He mesmerized the press club with his melodious guitar. His vocals reminded me of Antony Hegarty, brainchild of Antony and Johnsons. And I got a little bit of that vibe from him as well. He has an amazing falsetto voce and that really was showcased in his piano numbers. The song that goes “I fell for you, did you fall for me too” broke my heart! It was so stunning and beautifully performed.
Where have Eagle and the Worm been for the last little bit of my life! They seemed to have slipped off my radar, and this has made me realize that they are really on of the bands of look out for again this year. Brass always make a sound edition to any band, and for a party band such as EatW, it is a nobrainer. Tonight they showcased both old and new songs, with newbie “Electricity” being a true highlight. “Too Young” had some stunning 5-part harmonies and was a little Beatle-esk. Ending with “All I Know” was a great move. Really finished with a bang, and got those feet moving in the crowd.
I was so looking for to seeing Regurgitator again! But as I walked into Electric Playground, there was not a single centimeter of space. I ask myself, why oh why did they put them at that venue! Why not the Zoo! It is easily the biggest venue. As I stood at the back trying to enjoy the flawless music I could not see 2 meters in front of me. And I had to laugh at the soundman, (who was just in front of me) he was having even less luck than me. It was a shame really, as I was really looking forward to ending the night with the Gurge.
Whew! What a night! The highlight would have to be Eagle and the Worm though. They lost me for a little while, however I am now most definitely back on the band wagon. Unexpected pleasures were found in Glass Towers, Patrick James and Tkay Maidza. Three completely different acts, yet all so pleasing. Stay tuned, BIGSOUND is not done just yet.
Saturday, September 14, 2013
The Paper Kites - 6 September 2013, The HiFi
w/ Georgia Fair, Robbie Miller
To celebrate the release of their debut LP States, The Paper Kites brought along their band of merry men including the boys from Georgia Fair and Robbie Miller to the HiFi in West End. Last time they played in Brisbane they played The Alhambra Lounge, so to play the HiFi is a big step up for the band. To no ones surprise they had the venue nicely full without being super packed!
Opening the night was Robbie Miller. He has such a beautiful set of pipes. He flipped in and out of falsetto so effortlessly and that made his vocals even more mesmerising. He filled out the large room with his unique sound, and with just an acoustic guitar to accompany his vocals this is no mean feat. I do feel however, that type of music he was performed got a little lost in the HiFi. It’s the kind of slow ethereal music that you kind of have to me in the mood to listen to, and I think because of this, he lost quite a bit of his audience to their own conversations. A shame really.
Next up were the lads form Georgia Fair. I can’t quite express how much I enjoyed the lads’ set! They work so well as a duo, their voices melding into one sound. Jordan’s voice is good by itself, but is made even better by the support of Ben’s. They have an eerie yet melodic thing going on, and this is enhanced live by the lack of drums and bass. Their second to last song “Picture Frame” was by far the highlight of the set. They really captured the crowd and set the tone for the headliners.
I have a soft spot in my musical heart for The Paper Kites. They’re the kind of band that just capture your imagination in the way they perform. Front-people Sam Bentley and Christina Lacy work so well together as vocalists. Add to that Dave Powys to that mixture and you get something extraordinary. Their set is showing signs of catching up to their national successes, however, I believe there is still a little bit of rejigging to be done. They have so many amazing songs, and it was great to hear all the ones we know and love, coupled with tracks from the new record. “St Clarity” is definitely a song that is going to go somewhere. It’s a stunner. When they performed “Young” it was such a contrast to some of their other songs, really rad. Add that to Christina’s performance of “Living Colour” and wow. There was one moment that was by far and away the highlight of the set. “Bloom”. Need I say more? You could see every couple in the room just move a little closer together. Quite a special musical moment.
The issue (if you I can even call it that) I have with The Paper Kites is that their songs are just gorran too stunning. Too beautiful and the fact that each and every single song has the power to move you, it’s something not many bands ever achieve. However, put too much of that certain something together and it’s overwhelming. In the middle of their set there was a group of songs that when played together were too much. There needed to be an uptempo break in the middle.
It’s good to see The Paper Kites playing to a venue size they deserve. They said it themselves, “It’s so nice to not be playing in the valley”. This band deserve all the acclaim they are receiving. They’re something a bit special.
To celebrate the release of their debut LP States, The Paper Kites brought along their band of merry men including the boys from Georgia Fair and Robbie Miller to the HiFi in West End. Last time they played in Brisbane they played The Alhambra Lounge, so to play the HiFi is a big step up for the band. To no ones surprise they had the venue nicely full without being super packed!
Opening the night was Robbie Miller. He has such a beautiful set of pipes. He flipped in and out of falsetto so effortlessly and that made his vocals even more mesmerising. He filled out the large room with his unique sound, and with just an acoustic guitar to accompany his vocals this is no mean feat. I do feel however, that type of music he was performed got a little lost in the HiFi. It’s the kind of slow ethereal music that you kind of have to me in the mood to listen to, and I think because of this, he lost quite a bit of his audience to their own conversations. A shame really.
Next up were the lads form Georgia Fair. I can’t quite express how much I enjoyed the lads’ set! They work so well as a duo, their voices melding into one sound. Jordan’s voice is good by itself, but is made even better by the support of Ben’s. They have an eerie yet melodic thing going on, and this is enhanced live by the lack of drums and bass. Their second to last song “Picture Frame” was by far the highlight of the set. They really captured the crowd and set the tone for the headliners.
I have a soft spot in my musical heart for The Paper Kites. They’re the kind of band that just capture your imagination in the way they perform. Front-people Sam Bentley and Christina Lacy work so well together as vocalists. Add to that Dave Powys to that mixture and you get something extraordinary. Their set is showing signs of catching up to their national successes, however, I believe there is still a little bit of rejigging to be done. They have so many amazing songs, and it was great to hear all the ones we know and love, coupled with tracks from the new record. “St Clarity” is definitely a song that is going to go somewhere. It’s a stunner. When they performed “Young” it was such a contrast to some of their other songs, really rad. Add that to Christina’s performance of “Living Colour” and wow. There was one moment that was by far and away the highlight of the set. “Bloom”. Need I say more? You could see every couple in the room just move a little closer together. Quite a special musical moment.
The issue (if you I can even call it that) I have with The Paper Kites is that their songs are just gorran too stunning. Too beautiful and the fact that each and every single song has the power to move you, it’s something not many bands ever achieve. However, put too much of that certain something together and it’s overwhelming. In the middle of their set there was a group of songs that when played together were too much. There needed to be an uptempo break in the middle.
It’s good to see The Paper Kites playing to a venue size they deserve. They said it themselves, “It’s so nice to not be playing in the valley”. This band deserve all the acclaim they are receiving. They’re something a bit special.
Friday, September 6, 2013
Astrid and the Asteroids - 3 August 2013, The Hideaway
w/ Hailey Calvert, Isabel
There was a fairly high percentage of space themed attire donned at the Hideaway tonight for Astrid and the Asteroids’ "Autopsy" single launch, and it was wonderful to see the event sell out The Hideaway.
Opening the night was Astrid’s self-proclaimed “prodigal vocal student” Isabel. She picked up her Electric guitar, and together with her bass guitar playing friend they played a set of mellow melodies. Let me tell you, there’s an untamed soul woman behind her reserved demeanor. Her vocal style reminds me so much of Sara Bareilles in many ways. There are inflections that just captivate you into listening. Quite a stunning set, despite the unruly ambient noise in the small venue.
Next to light up the stage was Hailey Calvert. This lady is quite a sensational guitarist, vocalist and all round performer. Her country infused tunes really caught attention of the rowdy audience. Her voice was pure and ethereal and captured the best that the female voice has to offer.
So Astrid and the Asteroids burst onto the music scene a little two years ago, with their funky space tunes. Known for their outrageous attire, the band have calmed things down a bit, even although frontwoman, Astrid still loves the Black Milk nylons. AATA are a breath of fresh air in an indie music revolution. There are so many new bands out there that are just conforming to a pre-established unspoken set of songwriting rules. The Asteroids on the other hand have their own set of rules and each member of the band is supremely talented and has unmatched sense of musicianship. Parmis Rose in my opinion is unmatched on the keys. Add that to Astrid’s stunning vocals, Evan on the trumpet playing like a world renown professional and the rest of the band and it is truly magical.
Musically, they have their segues perfected which for such a ‘young’ band is really quite astonishing. For example, when telling the story of Charles Whitman (Texus sniper, look him up) the inspiration for the bands’ latest single “Autopsy”, instead of talking over the silence of her band to an unenthused crowd, the band jammed the introduction of the song while she told the lengthy story. Such a simple idea, yet absolute genius.
In fact, everything about this band screams talent. Each and every song in their repertoire is danceable. Yes. That is a word, I checked. Weather it be crazy unstoppable foot tapping, or knee jerking, even to ranging to the slow grind. For the latter, mid way the band breaks into Beyonce’s “Crazy in love”. You’d think it to be strange, but for these space cats, nothing is too out of this world!
In a nutshell the gig was rad, otherworldly even. This band has so much energy and hold nothing back when they perform. It’s an absolute privilege to watch them perform, and if I were you, I’d keep an ear out for these guys. They’re something special.
There was a fairly high percentage of space themed attire donned at the Hideaway tonight for Astrid and the Asteroids’ "Autopsy" single launch, and it was wonderful to see the event sell out The Hideaway.
Opening the night was Astrid’s self-proclaimed “prodigal vocal student” Isabel. She picked up her Electric guitar, and together with her bass guitar playing friend they played a set of mellow melodies. Let me tell you, there’s an untamed soul woman behind her reserved demeanor. Her vocal style reminds me so much of Sara Bareilles in many ways. There are inflections that just captivate you into listening. Quite a stunning set, despite the unruly ambient noise in the small venue.
Next to light up the stage was Hailey Calvert. This lady is quite a sensational guitarist, vocalist and all round performer. Her country infused tunes really caught attention of the rowdy audience. Her voice was pure and ethereal and captured the best that the female voice has to offer.
So Astrid and the Asteroids burst onto the music scene a little two years ago, with their funky space tunes. Known for their outrageous attire, the band have calmed things down a bit, even although frontwoman, Astrid still loves the Black Milk nylons. AATA are a breath of fresh air in an indie music revolution. There are so many new bands out there that are just conforming to a pre-established unspoken set of songwriting rules. The Asteroids on the other hand have their own set of rules and each member of the band is supremely talented and has unmatched sense of musicianship. Parmis Rose in my opinion is unmatched on the keys. Add that to Astrid’s stunning vocals, Evan on the trumpet playing like a world renown professional and the rest of the band and it is truly magical.
Musically, they have their segues perfected which for such a ‘young’ band is really quite astonishing. For example, when telling the story of Charles Whitman (Texus sniper, look him up) the inspiration for the bands’ latest single “Autopsy”, instead of talking over the silence of her band to an unenthused crowd, the band jammed the introduction of the song while she told the lengthy story. Such a simple idea, yet absolute genius.
In fact, everything about this band screams talent. Each and every song in their repertoire is danceable. Yes. That is a word, I checked. Weather it be crazy unstoppable foot tapping, or knee jerking, even to ranging to the slow grind. For the latter, mid way the band breaks into Beyonce’s “Crazy in love”. You’d think it to be strange, but for these space cats, nothing is too out of this world!
In a nutshell the gig was rad, otherworldly even. This band has so much energy and hold nothing back when they perform. It’s an absolute privilege to watch them perform, and if I were you, I’d keep an ear out for these guys. They’re something special.
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