It was a true night of firsts at the Corner Hotel on Wednesday night. The Jezabels’ first night of two sell-out shows, Ernest Ellis’ first show with an additional guitarist and keyboard player and We Say Bamboulee’s first ever visit to the Corner.
We say Bamboulee are two brothers and if an online biography is to be believed, a friend acquired as a result of an Ebay battle for a synth. Fresh out of Sydney, the trio – Doug Wright, Peter and Russell Fitzgibbon open the evening with their song ‘Swingsets’. We Say Bamboulee made a good impression on the early crowd with their friendly harmonious lyrics that make the world feel all good and safe again. As the set progressed, the surge of the bass added a darker feel and you begin to suspect that there was an imagined story to it.
Main support, Ernest Ellis and his band erupted into their first song with more conviction than anyone in the audience could be ready for. With two new additions to the band, it sounded like the guys are still working out their stage sound. A noticeable notch louder than the remarkably dreamy 2010 release, ‘Hunting’, Ellis and his band are sounding huge. It now makes sense why Ellis had to cancel a tour in October last year due to a swollen eardrum. Loud is good but these guys were louder than suited for such an organic kind of act so it is hoped Ellis was wearing some super expensive, specially made muso earplugs.
