On
the same day as thousands of Melbournians hit the streets of their hometown
in a bid to salvage Australia’s live music scene from destruction,
the Corner Hotel in Richmond appropriately paid tribute to the local
artists who would be affected most by the prospective ‘death’ of
small music venues. The Aussie BBQ, originally brought about as a collaborative
effort from Stage Mothers and SXSW, is making its Australian debut in
2010 with shows in Melbourne and Sydney before it jets off to the US
to showcase the great music us Aussies have to offer.
[Click
here
to see the AU Review’s special feature
on the Aussie BBQ].
Complete with snags and salads on the rooftop for all its patrons, the
Corner Hotel drew a considerable crowd to see the seven bands featuring
in the night’s festivities. First up were Collingwood group Pets
with Pets, a couple of guys who played a score of songs that would
have to fall under the genre of electro-funk with a slight sense of
psychedelica. Though many of the ticketholders were still upstairs getting
their fix of a true-blue Aussie meal, the guys still managed to play
with character and flair, effectively representing the underground sound
that is becoming increasingly common on the Australian music scene.
Soon after, Summer Cats brought their upbeat indie tunes to the
side-stage as the band room gradually filled up a little more. The six-piece
kept the vibe positive with their comfortable stage presence, interacting
with the crowd on both a musical and personal level.
Midway
through the night was arguably the headline act; the esteemed Paul
Dempsey. With just his (borrowed) guitar, Dempsey impressed with
his lyrical folk rock tracks including the celebrated single ‘Out
the airlock’. He, like each of the other acts of the night, acknowledged
the SLAM rally that day, highlighting the significance of the cause.
Dempsey was able to display his capabilities as a soloist, and keep
the extremely varied crowd entertained (although, his between-song banter
was entertaining on a different sort of level as he continuously dug
himself hole after hole).
The
Boat People, a male band, two of whose members reside in Melbourne
and two from Brisbane, definitely managed to show their
aptitude as natural performers. Keyboardist Robin Waters was clearly
a natural performer, exemplified when he jumped around and enthusiastically
played his keys while singing. However, these boys were the first of
the final four acts, who did not differ substantially in musical
styles. This is not to downplay the individual talents of each band,
but it is unfortunate that the organisers did not provide ample variations
in the order of the line-up. To an outsider, it may have seemed that
Aussies have way too many indie, male oriented bands to go around. (Click here to download a copy of their new single 'Sophoric')
The
band that followed, Oh Mercy, was quite good with the clean-cut
leading man clearly possessing a natural charisma as he, too, effortlessly
interacted with the crowd. Both lyrical and catchy, the music of this
Melbourne group has received soaring reviews in the past, particularly
for their album ‘Privileged Woes’. In the flesh, Oh Mercy certainly
put across that they are very capable musicians. However, the general
performance was just a little too easy going to maintain my full
attention for the set, and the subject matters of some songs a little
generic. Nonetheless, songs such as ‘Get you back’ and ‘Seemed
like a good idea’ were very well received.
Crayon
Fields need to change the genres listed on their Myspace, because
it leaves one with the impression that the impending performance will
be of the trance variety. Despite that slight misconception, the set
was good but significantly lacking in energy. Folksy and melodic, the
music was quite enjoyable, and the boys have potential but they really
need to up the enthusiasm.
Having
just missed Wagons at Falls last year, they were one of the
bands I looked forward to most. So, finally, they hit the stage at about
11 and they didn’t disappoint. I overheard a fellow patron describe
their sound as ‘rock-indie-pop meets hillbilly’; but that wasn’t
intended in a bad way, apparently. Although that probably isn’t their
preferred description, it does mildly ring true. There is no escaping
the country feel to lead singer Henry Wagons’ voice, particularly
as he delved into a rendition of an Elvis Presley classic. After somewhat
of a mid-evening rut, the Wagons picked up the energy levels substantially
to end the night on a high.
Overall,
the night was good, yet not fantastic. The vibe was consistently amazing,
and the cause is a great one. However, as an event designed to ‘showcase’
the Australian music industry, organisers should try to arrange the
line up to boast the many varieties
of musicians who call Australia home.
Photo by Marty Williams - from their Myspace page - http://www.myspace.com/wagonsmusic