Perth’s favourite youthful upstarts San Cisco have just released their debut self-titled album and are touring supporting the release, a tour which included a sold out Corner Hotel show in Melbourne.
For such a young band they ooze talent on record, and their live show matches that professionalism and raises it another level. Frontman Jordi Davieson sounds effortlessly impressive on vocals whilst simultaneously making the guitar look ridiculously easy.
As you’d expect for someone so young, he doesn’t lose himself completely in rock’n’roll stage antics, but appears to give everything to make the songs sound the way he wants them to.
His interaction with a rather restless crowd was great to see and for the most part kept the young punters’ attention.
Needless to say, selling out one of Australia’s most iconic venues when your debut album has barely been released is impressive, yet packing it six months earlier touring just two EPs is something quite special.
For this return show, the band played many of the favourites fans are familiar with from their Golden Revolver and Awkward EPs in addition to jams off their first record.
Unlike San Cisco on this occasion, many bands make the mistake of playing too many songs off an album once it’s been released, assuming all attendees have listened to the disc numerous times or want to hear new songs more.
Perhaps it’s because bands get sick of playing the well-known stuff and are itching to play something less familiar, but for many (this reviewer included) you want to hear songs you already know at a show.
The first single ‘Wild Things’ was the best received song from San Cisco’s debut, yet most songs garnered a fairly reasonable response from the audience with arguably the album’s strongest track ‘Mission Failed’ gaining a particularly good reaction.
A tune which drummer Scarlett Stevens admitted the band are still learning how to play live – not that you’d know it.
The band included the cream of their two extended plays. With enough original material to last the hour, they did not feel the need to include a cover in the set.
‘Rocket Ship’ fostered a jaunty sing-along, as did the clap-heavy ‘Lover’ while ‘Golden Revolver’ just got the crowd plainly excited.
New track ‘Fred Astaire’, a high point of the album, translated well to a live setting and Davieson nailed it, along with storytelling that is ‘John’s Song’ by himself, as he began the encore solo.
His bandmates joined him onstage to end the gig with ‘Awkward’, receiving the biggest cheers of the night. It was energetic, fun, professional and sounded great live.
Indicative of the entire hour-long set, it was an appropriate way to end a wonderful evening of music supplied by some of the most talented young musicians this country has to offer.
