To say that Hellions have been one of the most important bands in the alternative scene this past decade almost doesn’t do justice to their unrelenting spirits. In speaking of this, Rue embodies that spirit, and aims to lift up everyone who has the pleasure to experience the album.
Everything appears to be in order as New York octet Miss Velvet & The Blue Wolf file onto stage and break into their opening number. Being the support act of such a giant of the genre – not just here, but on the entire world tour – was always going to mean that their music had stylistic parallels to the world of funk and groove-oriented music. The twist in the tale, however, comes when the titular Miss Velvet steps up to the mic and opens her mouth. Although one might expect something soulful or sultry, you instead get a metal-bar squawk that’s closer to Sammy Hagar than Sam Cooke. It’s a shock to the system, and admittedly takes a moment to adjust to. Say what you will, but this stylistic clash is not one that this audience was expecting – but, rather than serve as a deterrent, it draws more punters in closer to the stage. The entire band perform with the confidence of a headliner, and even if the music doesn’t particularly do anything for you it was hard to deny their chutzpah and colourful approach to genre-hopping. Hey, it beats watching some carbon-copy go through the motions, right?
Having caught Basement at their energetic show with Turnover in Sydney a few years ago, I couldn’t pass up the chance to watch them again co-headlining with The Story So Far, a band I’ve always planned to see but never did until now. Supporting at the Roundhouse at UNSW were two Sydney locals, The Dead Love and Endless Heights, our own homegrown heroes.
At first, the bustling garage-dwelling post-punk of Melbourne’s RVG (that’s Romy Vager Group, for those of you playing at home) seemed an ill fit in contrast with tonight’s headliner – almost at odds, even. The reality is, however, RV are a complement to this bill – and, indeed, any bill lucky enough to have them. They provide everything a great indie-rock band should: Introspective insight, solid foundations to dance or sway upon, propulsive walls of guitar and a series of peaks and valleys that allow one to appreciate their stylistic contrasts that coarse throughout each song. The quartet are still riding high on the momentum of their excellent 2017 debut LP, A Quality of Mercy, and the lion’s share of the record gets a run-through here. Given the album was essentially recorded live upstairs at The Tote, it’s no surprise that the electricity and urgency captured on record translates seamlessly to the live environment. Even those among the early arrivals who have no idea who the band are (read: all but maybe five of them) are quick to pick up what RVG are putting down – which, in itself, says a lot about how convincing a live band they are.
Thando brought her one night only show to Melbourne’s Sooki Lounge on Friday the 12th of April. Accompanied by her full band, in what was essentially a last hurrah before she goes on hiatus ahead of the upcoming birth of her baby, it was surely a night to remember.
What’s the best way to celebrate the eve of one of the most religious events of the year? Get pissed with strangers at Star Bar and go to a Dropkick Murphys Flogging Molly show. On the 18th of April, Good Friday Eve, Metro Theatre held host to one of the most influential Irish rock bands in history, and it sure delivered.
Mallrat, the 20-year-old pocket rocket hailing from Brisbane, took to the Metro Theatre stage for the first of two sold out shows in Sydney on Thursday Night, following a completely sold out run of shows across Australia as part of the ‘Nobody’s Home’ Tour.