Under dim lights in Brisbane’s The Zoo, David Bowie playing softly in the background, eager crowds awaited the entrance of Los Angeles’ Local Natives. Given the widespread acclaim directed at their second effort Hummingbird, expectations were understandably high.
The first track of the night, Hummingbird’s “You And I”, was a cacophony of sound that sent anticipatory shivers through the enthusiastic audience. Full of intense highs and lows, the song ably demonstrated what was to come from the rest of the set.
The guitar riff signalling the beginning of “Wide Eyes” sent cheers rippling through the audience, the crowd standing in awe one minute and dancing like animals the next.
It was enjoyable to see the band sharing such a passion for their work, displaying exuberance in their own personal ways. Taylor Rice jumped around like the ground was on fire while touring bassist Nick Ewing preferred to lope smoothly to the beat. The differences between the band’s stage demeanours only added to their overall performance.
Counting down from four, a beautiful piano intro lead the audience into “Shape Shifter.” The band’s regular swapping of instruments reiterated their skills as diverse musicians. Occurring a few times, the reversal of roles seemed less a party trick than a necessity to portray the sound they clearly hear in their minds.
“Heavy Feet” sent ambient guitar riffs floating through the smoke, while “Airplanes” saw sighs drawn from the audience. With such intelligently crafted songs, there was nothing to do but respect the people who were letting you experience a tiny bit of their souls.
At first soft and heartfelt, the next shouting with vehemence and playing with a fierce verve and passion, Local Natives knew when to build and when to release; when to hold back and when to let go.
Encore song “Who Knows Who Cares” was definitely a highlight of an incredible night. The song was much better live than recorded, played with a feeling and exuberance impossible to capture in a recording. Sung with heart, soul and a childlike spirit, the chanted “oh’s” (mirrored by the crowd) sounded like something out of Where The Wild Things Are. The elation felt by everyone could have been popped with a safety pin.
Kelcey Ayer commented on the lack of “assholes” talking throughout the performance, thanking the crowd and adding, “It really means something to us, we’re pouring our hearts out to you guys. This has been an amazing end to our Australian tour.”
And they really were pouring out their hearts. Final track “Sun Hands” prompted an unbelievable response from the crowd. As the instrumental built and the song edged towards its climax, Rice explained, “what Kelcey said about not talking … he didn’t mean this part.” And with that the crowd went wild, screaming the lyrics and ending the night on a memorable high.
Capturing a fine balance between supreme musical skill and wide-eyed enthusiasm, the show’s undertone of childlike high spirits acted like an electric current, coursing down from the stage, through the crowd and out the windows into the icy Brisbane night.
More than exceeding expectations, Local Natives blasted them out of the ballpark. Performing an almost faultless show, the band provided a taste of perfection rarely experienced in a live performance.
