The stars on the ceiling of the Forum Theatre shone down on LA’s Local Natives as they returned to the country after more than a two year hiatus, and for those lucky enough to be there, it was more than worth the wait.
Melbourne’s own Texture Like Sun opened the night with their own brand of minimal folk music, drawing largely from their debut EP released late last year (check out our review of it here). The sparse backing allowed seated vocalist Cesar Rodrigues’ gravelly and intimate voice to shine, at times being the only sound filling the expansive theatre. The set really picked up with closer ‘Bottle’ and the introduction of acoustic guitar which provided a new layer to the intricate creations.
All-Australian supergroup of sorts New Gods were next to grace the stage, featuring members from Little Red, Eagle and the Worm, and Ground Components. Playing a set of raw, straight-up alt-rock, at times featuring three-part harmonies, lead singer Dominic Byrne cut an energetic and animated figure on stage, constantly bouncing across to his bandmates when he wasn’t contributing vocals.
Although the introduction of some electronics created a somewhat strange backdrop to the more rock-influenced sound, overall, the five-piece provided an enjoyable opening set, and readied the crowd for what was to come.
After releasing the critically acclaimed Gorilla Manor and touring around the world (including a visit to Laneway Festival in 2011), Local Natives seemed to almost disappear off the face of the planet. Now, returning to Australia after more than two years and an overly-long 40-minute break after New Gods, they have a very impressive sophomore effort Hummingbird (read the review here) under their belt, and the decidedly less-moustached band put it on full display for the adoring crowd.
Aptly striding on stage with the backing of Bowie’s ‘Young Americans’, the band began with Hummingbird opener ‘You And I’, immediately signaling the direction of the percussive heavy set.
The band pulsated with energy and enthusiasm from the outset, and the perfect harmonies were just as good as they were two years ago, if not better.
Soaring vocalist and keyboardist Kelcey Ayer acknowledged the long time between drinks for the band, saying “It’s really good to see all you guys again…we’ve missed you”, before breaking into a spirited version of ‘Wide Eyes’ that saw every band member contribute percussion of some kind, creating a layered, irresistible wall of rhythm.
The extended five-piece band, that included touring bassist Nik Ewing, worked through a set that encompassed nearly all the songs off both albums, with material from Hummingbird complementing older songs perfectly, producing a coherent set without a dull moment.
Each band member’s talents were clearly on show across the night, with Matt Frazier’s eclectic and hyperactive drumming creating cohesion and energy, and Ryan Hahn adeptly switching from guitar to keyboard.
Taylor Rice and Ayer shared lead vocal duties across the night, creating great contrast between Ayer’s soaring and delicate melodies, and Rice’s powerful and deep lines, while the other members provided intricate harmonies.
Ayer’s stated that “We’ve been working really hard for two years on [Hummingbird], and we’re really proud of it. We’re really happy to fly half way around the world for it”, a sentiment that, if the huge cheer was anything to go by, the Melbourne crowd entirely agreed with.
Fan-favourite ‘Airplanes’ saw the rising energy amongst the band quickly passed onto the now rowdy crowd, while set-closer ‘Bowery’ left everyone wanting more.
It was a set that patiently ebbed and flowed, slowly building up and developing to an explosive chorus or percussive breakdown that set the entire theatre alight.
After the obligatory encore break, Local Natives returned for three more songs, before stating that the audience had been “miraculously wonderful”. A drawn-out build-up to ‘Who Knows Who Cares’ quietly led to an exhilarating finish, while ‘Sun Hands’ provided the perfect conclusion to a brilliant set.
It was one of those moments where everyone in the theatre knew exactly what was coming, something that was mercilessly teased by the band. The carefully dueling guitars finally reached the cathartic moment when every single person in the venue screamed “And when I can feel with my sun hands / I promise not to lose her again”, which was quickly followed by the heaviest riff the band has written to close the night.
Leaving the Melbourne crowd with the promise of returning “by the end of the year” for “one of your Summer festivals”, Local Natives delivered a thoroughly impressive and polished set that displayed the continual confidence and talents of a band that is only getting better with time.
