If ever there’s a venue in which Lo Pan can successfully establish their cool, Onesixone is it.
In order to gain access to the quasi-candle-lit bar, one must first pass the velvet ropes out front. When you do reach upstairs, the leather booths and Victorian-style carpet, bathed in the warm red tones of the room engulf you. Simply put, the place is uber-cool.
Opening for this evening is Camel Walk, a relaxed indie rock band that incorporates elements of blues into its sophisticated sound.
Intimate in their lyrical content and the croon of the keyboardist, their songs are nothing less than sway-worthy. A bystander at the bar describes it as “the kind of music made in a bedroom”. The band’s rendition of “How Sweet It Is” is one of the many highlights of the evening.
Following shortly after is Lo Pan, this evening’s black sheep. A strangely enjoyable incongruity exists not only between this band and the others performing tonight, but between the members themselves.
The luminescent and zany lead singer, Rachel McLaren, whips her large bushy hair around as she performs on stage. McLaren’s voice proves more than willing (and able) to take on any vocal challenge, and she exudes a confidence far beyond her 19 years of age.
Contrarily, her stoic bassist and guitarist play stiffly the entire set, also matching in near-synchronisation in their Revenge of the Nerds attire. Meanwhile, the drummer smashes away with conviction, while the trumpeter stands awkwardly to the side. Despite this, they’re fun to watch and listen to.
Somehow squeezing the trumpet into their indie rock, Lo Pan generates a funky, jazzy tone, seriously channeling No Doubt’s sound. Their song “Kaleidoscope Eyes” fills the venue with a fun, energetic buzz one wouldn’t see often in such a mellow setting. The song also conjures up a few loyal fans who dance at the front of the stage.
Wrapping up the performances for the evening, Speak Easy graces the stage with a suitably smooth mix of bluesy, jazzy rock. Their sound is very clean and very tight; everything’s in time and strictly synchronised.
Lead singer Lucinda Franco has an amazingly versatile voice, and shares strong chemistry with co-vocalist Michael Kopp – they both laugh it off when Kopp makes a slight mistake in lyrics during one of their songs. Their original “Back To You” is a particularly strong component of the set.
