The ‘sold out’ sign on the financially beleaguered Old Bar’s front door speaks volumes about the quality and popularity of the four bands on offer tonight.
Opening up are relative rookies The Stray Melodics, who, if not for the ‘stray’ part, would rival The Beards as Australia’s most aptly named band.
From start to finish, breathy but outstandingly tuneful lead vocals carry the young outfit’s set – mainly because a muddy live mix has rendered the guitars inaudible. Despite the sound issues, it’s clear the indie-pop four piece aren’t short on talent or support, with their energetic fans’ ardour peaking during an enthusiastically delivered, if not overly polished rendition of Nena’s ’99 Red Balloons’.
Having recently returned to the Melbourne live scene after a short break, CERES quickly invoked all the charisma that’s earned them support from media outlets like Triple J.
Songs like ‘Damn Lies’, the standout track from February-released EP Luck, are even more absorbing live as they are over the airwaves, with frontman Tom Lanyon’s vocal fervour heightening with each increasingly violent slam of his head.
The giant vocal hooks and guitar melodies permeate every nook of the Old Bar’s creaking-at-capacity walls, while the rock solid rhythm section ensure CERES’ name is pounded into the crowd’s collective memory, if it wasn’t there already.
Back after an even longer hiatus are main support Have/Hold, whose grunge-esque quiet-then-loud format has the effect of a boxing glove full of spanners to the face after drifting off in a hammock.
The visual melee of thrashing hair and swinging elbows adds to the menace of their prog-influenced, post-emo sound, with the energetic performance providing the perfect queue-up to the altogether heavier proceedings ahead.
Taking the stage a good hour behind schedule, ‘puke punk’ trio The Sinking Teeth immediately set about ensuring anyone doubting the hype surrounding them goes home an enthusiastic convert. With a headache.
Tonight’s crowd are the “in on the ground level” early adopters and are rewarded with a sonic assault that’s like listening to the best heavy rock bands of the last 20 years all at the same time. Like the troubled, scotch-swilling coach in every Hollywood sports movie ever, the venom with which screamer/singer/guitarist Nick Manuell spits his words at his devoted following only fuels their love and enthusiasm.
The added vocal dimensions added by bassist/singer/screamer Jules Doan brings a dynamism to the performance rarely seen on a stage this small, with the two throwing themselves around the stage with as much fury as Ben Stewart inflicts on his drums.
Climaxing at their gruff re-imagining of ‘White Wedding’ by Billy Idol, The Sinking Teeth’s performance cements their status as one of Melbourne’s most underrated rock bands.
For those who haven’t yet had the pleasure, the choice is simple; go see them tear a dive bar to pieces, or wait a couple of months and watch them upstage your favourite band somewhere much bigger.
