Chatter fills the dimly lit Alhambra Lounge on Saturday Night in anticipation of Andy Bull. Having released only one single since his last tour to Brisbane a few months previous, Alhambra Lounge is surprisingly packed. The crowd cheers as he enters the stage as part of his four-piece band, diving straight into creating smooth layers of synth, drums, clicking and vocals. His trademark higher range and vibrato sings across the crowd. Bull alternates between older music from his 2010 ‘Phantom Pains EP’ and unreleased newer tracks – the crowd responding positively to both. ‘Baby I’m Nobody now’ and ‘My Street’ are crowd favourites as they move and sing to both and laugh as he tells the story of an ex-girlfriend who moved into his street after their break up. The rest of the band exit as Bull performs ‘Last Waltz’ – originally performed with Hungry Kids of Hungary, here he is able to shine independently on stage. Other tracks include ‘Keep on Running’ and a cover of Tears for Fears’ ‘Everybody wants to rule the world,’ before he finishes with a new track, ‘Nothing is Wrong.’
With Andy Bull’s incredible voice control, a recent (June 2013) record deal, and latest more experimental tracks, we eagerly await his debut album.
GIG REVIEW: The Love Junkies @ Alhambra Lounge, 27/06/13
The three-piece, hailing from Perth, are comfortable with the guitars-bass-drums-yelling mixture when it comes to producing their music; it’s a blend that many can relate to and one that works well when done properly. The Love Junkies, a humble group with stilted banter throughout the show, have proved both in the studio and onstage that they know what they’re doing and damn, are they good at it.
With Brisbane locals Babaganouj warming the crowd, the music they list as being influenced by many things, including “spending all my tax return on paying for my rego for my stupid car,” was the perfect introduction to the night. The night, of course, which can only be best described in a quote taken from the stage banter of The Love Junkies’ vocalist Mitch McDonald, “I… Yeah, I don’t know what to say. Fuck.”
Opening their explosive set with Heads Down, the first track of recent release Maybelene, the set list was successful in building the energy of the crowd as the members of the band reflected the energy thrown at them by punters.
It was the grins shared onstage between McDonald, bassist Robbie Rumble and drummer Lewis Walsh that showed the members were more than happy to be playing the interstate show. This, perhaps, was the only suggestion that they weren’t the brooding boys they’d have you believe if you never bothered to look further than the lyrics of their debut full-length.
Even their stage clothes appeared to be an accurate reflection of the genre one would attribute the band to, with McDonald in stovepipe jeans, a black and white striped sweater – reminiscent of the clothes attributed to Nirvana’s Kurt Cobain – and Vans. Despite closing his eyes, a move usually attached to being lost in the music, the lead vocalist would have struggled to see the people standing before him, swaying in time to the music, through the strands of hair that obstructed his vision. Tonight, appearances were not deceiving and The Love Junkies played their part with utmost dedication.
Working through their setlist, composing of Maybelene favourites, including title-track Maybelene and Oxymoron, the band explored their sound and their ability to wind up the audience until even those most reluctant of dancers were moving in their spot. The moshpit, formed stage-left at the feet of Rumble, featured an array of dance moves from full-body thrashing to synchronized swaying taken directly from the Lollapalooza episode of The Simpsons.
Oxymoron was the clear favourite amongst attendees, with the single having seen heavy radio play on Triple J. Though, each song evoked similar reactions, showing that the fanbase of The Love Junkies are of the dedicated kind.
Most importantly, the show was exactly how one would expect after listening to Maybelene. The album itself was raw though still perfectly recorded, and the live show was a direct contrast to this. By no means was it anything less than perfect, but live shows require a different gauge than studio albums, especially when the music in question is of a genre that’s constantly called into question whether or not it is still ‘alive’. It’s the energy of the show that went from strength to strength, and the way the sound complimented the venue and the surroundings and the people in attendance, that shows The Love Junkies are on the rise to becoming a well-known band in the scene. It’s their humble stage presence, the message clearly screaming they’re in it for the music, that made Thursday’s show a signifier of the success that’s yet to come.
GIG REVIEW: Strange Talk with Hey Geronimo, The Lesser Bilby @ Alhambra Lounge. 14/06/13
There's something in the pattern of fresh Australian music that keeps us coming back time and time again. It's there within the experience of heading to a bar on a week night, perching yourself somewhere comfortable and enjoying an array of new invention. It's in the homely yet energetic feel that makes its presence throughout a room by connecting an audience. Dismissing not one of these characteristics, Hey Geronimo and The Lesser Bilby performed at Alhambra Lounge alongside Strange Talk last Friday night.
To follow, Hey Geronimo encouraged those who had been drawn in after the former performance to deliver somewhat of a Zumba class as combat against the 700 paparazzi’s that had immediately flocked to the stage after the first strum. Hey Geronimo establish such a fun vibe about their live music. Incorporating horns, keyboards and even tambourines with traditional instruments, it becomes easy to understand the interest growing among their fans. With a bright essence about everyday life, the band sang on topics such as Griffith University’s campus book shop in a song titled Co-Op Bookshop as well as girlfriend’s cars taking underwater adventures. Even when looking at Hey Geronimo's subject matter in their music, there’s a humour and delight in their recorded stuff that only shines brighter when performed live.
After an intense battle for front of house between the flashing cameras and the eager dancers, the latter finally had their way with the floor and the band played a few more crowd favourites. Along with Co-Op Bookshop, the boys also performed The Dan Kelly Song, Carbon Affair and finished up with Why Don't We Do Something - a song which has attracted over 800,000 YouTube hits since releasing the video on their channel. Hey Geronimo make their live performance something exciting, special and fun to be part of with their danceable tracks and the alternative crowd drawn in by the sound.
Keeping in line with the dancing fever that overwhelmed the venue after The Lesser Bilby and Hey Geronimo departed stage, Strange Talk brought it home and welcomed fans with their title track Cast Away. With such an exciting time for Strange Talk having only released their very first studio album this year (which charted, by the way!), the enthusiasm from the band to share new music was prominent. The whole band came to life as they performed "Climbing Walls," "Falling In Love" and "Picking Up All The Pieces" as well as touching on nostalgia with "Sexual Lifestyle", all the while vocalist Stephen Docker broke loose on the crowd. Strange Talk are a turbo-energy-accelerated group of performers who know how to work up a crowd and are definitely not to be missed.
It is encouraging not only as an enthusiast of live music but also as someone who may be looking to break into the industry to become part of this experience. Watching smaller bands may deliver a connection of inspiration to a musician in a way that a larger band may not be able to. It’s raw, it’s exciting and it’s tangible. Smaller venues and intimate performances allow for an audience to see just how stoked bands are to perform before them. From the ear-to-ear smiles and the lame jokes between members to the determination of jumping around at full capacity in such a confined space, the audience feels at one from beginning to end. Between the performers and the punters who come to life through music, The Strange Geronimo bill is one you don't want to pass up, so make sure to check out the dates below.
The STRANGE GERONIMO Australian Tour dates:
WED 19 JUN: Beach Road Hotel, Sydney
FREE ENTRY!
THU 20 JUN: Transit Bar, Canberra
TIX: http://bit.ly/18Q6Uey
FRI 21 JUN: The Small Ballroom, Newcastle
TIX: http://bit.ly/13GMsd4
SAT 22 JUN: Winter Magic Festival, Katoomba
TIX: http://bit.ly/15uaRrz
THU 27 JUN: The Hi Fi, Melbourne
TIX: http://bit.ly/11oxzjk
SAT 29 JUN: Eureka Hotel, Geelong
TIX: http://bit.ly/14yhaE4
THU 11 JUL: Newport Hotel, Fremantle
TIX: http://bit.ly/176Rp3L
FRI 12 JUL: Prince of Wales Hotel, Bunbury
TIX: http://bit.ly/ZLOqWS
SAT 13 JUL: Amplifier Bar, Perth
TIX: http://bit.ly/176SuZo
Shout out to the adorable couple from ipswich me and jack met in line at San Cisco this afternoon! Loveliest people, so glad we stuck together:)
If that was you, lovely girl, follow me coz you have Tumblr and maybe you’re stalking the tags too haha
