Promising local artist Hannah Karydas, performing as Eves, opened the night with a vocally driven and technically strong set. A good decision as a bill inclusion, Eves played with a vibe similar to Emma Louise’s earlier discography, with tracks like the recently released “Zen” showcasing Karydas’ vocal range.
Making the transition from solo musician to playing with a band has strengthened Eves’ music. Drummer James Wright adds depth to the undeniable pretty songs that, prior to the introduction of a band, could’ve potentially been lost in the fray of softly spoken female voices. Overall, it was a very strong set from the newly formed band, and one that speaks positively of things to come for Eves.
Josiah Birrell, under the moniker of GOVS, opened his set with sweeping samples. GOVS’ first song, featuring some interesting segments, made it immediately apparent that Birrell is a very confident artist, and set the tone for what was to follow.
“Husband” saw Birrell take up a guitar, with second guitarist Jackson Haswell (from Oceanics) contributing some surf sounds. Joined by a drummer, all three musicians seemed at ease on stage, creating a laid-back vibe that allowed GOVS’ unique sound to permeate through the crowd.
Birrell switched back to keyboard for “There Comes A Time”, a track that was carried by percussion though slightly lacked the nuanced softness that was present in the other inclusions.
Closing the set with a lovely balance of intensity and genuine lyrics, GOVS left an impressive mark on the growing crowd filing into Black Bear Lodge’s long, narrow space.
Considering they have only released one single, there was a well-sized crowd by the time Timothy Carroll and Oscar Dawson of Holy Holy kicked off their set, with a band comprising of Hannah Macklin (from MKO), Graham Ritchie (one of Brisbane’s most esteemed bass players), and Ryan Strathie (of Hungry Kids of Hungary).
Holy Holy opened with “If I Were You”, a track originally played by Carroll during his solo endeavour. His genuine delivery and clear voice blended seamlessly with Macklin’s and was powered by Strath’s cavernous percussion tones (thanks to some impressive desk-work from nationally renowned producer Matt Redlich).
Holy Holy’s third song “I Have You Now” was introduced with mystical cymbals, a nod to the folk sound that underpins most of the powerful, intricate tracks to be featured on the upcoming album. Vocal contributions from Dawson and Macklin were particularly well utilised for this track, along with some aurally interesting slide-bar guitar work from Dawson.
An impressive cover of Neil Young’s “Southern Man” was a well-considered and impressive endeavour. While it had a low-tempo rhythm initially, it built to a great energy, with Carroll and Dawson both absolutely killing it on guitar. On the lower end of the register, Dawson’s vocals helped pull things together, adding warmth to the harmonies.
“House of Cards” had a Western-guitar vibe, while Ritchie’s bass tones came through more significantly than prior songs. Macklin’s keyboard sounds were indistinct but added to the overall sound, gliding under the guitars that dominated this track.
“Impossible Like You” greeted the audience with Dawson’s memorable opening chords, leading into a version of the song that was even more impressive than the studio recording. Packed with energy and played with a standard befitting a much bigger band, “Impossible Like You” was a great choice as the single, released in the lead-up to the album.
After a very brief interim, Holy Holy and their band returned to tease the crowd with the theme song to Terminator 2. Getting into a more serious encore, “Constitution” was Dawson’s best work throughout the set. He nailed a series of bold riffs that rivalled Strath’s hard-hitting percussion, and a huge build made the track a great choice as a closing number.
With neat transitions that never let the crowd’s engagement falter, the entire band delivered a wildly strong show that both sounded and looked great. Holy Holy have set themselves up for an impressive future, with “Impossible Like You” only scratching the surface of what the album contains.
