08/02/2011
For their first headline show in Australia, the tautologically named Local Natives could not have expected a better turnout than a packed to the rafters, jammed against every pole, sweating on your neighbour Corner Hotel. After releasing their debut album Gorilla Manor, Local Natives have seen an almost instant rise to popularity.
Opening the night were Sydney punk/soul act The Paper Scissors who warmed up the already building crowd with intense fervour. Their short set hindered only by a lack of former hits We Don’t Walk and Yamanote Line.
Following closely behind was Adelaide Americana/Alt-Country outfit Leader Cheetah, whose mix of modern and classic vibes (think early Neil Young with more pounding beats) were a wonderful addition the line-up. Technical difficulties with their violinist and some pesky feedback did not deter them from keeping the ever-filling Corner clientele interested.
The crowd was now at capacity and after what seemed like an extremely long wait, the curtain opened for headline act Local Natives. However, the stage was empty with no sign of the LA quintet. The crowd was roaring, the pit was growing, and this reviewer even saw a girl trying to calm herself down (too early for Beatlemania, perhaps?).
And then, like a scene out of Revenge of The Nerds, Prince’s 1984 hit I Would Die 4 U came thundering over the PA, causing mixed reactions of cheers and laughing fits (yours truly being guilty of the latter). This, while being hilarious, was the first of many serious indications for the band’s love of 70s/80s music (another being their wonderfully crafted version of the 1978 Talking Heads song Warning Sign).
The Prince tribute over, it was now time to hear Gorilla Manor in its entirety (the upside to having such a small catalogue).
Songs such as Wide Eyes, World News and Stranger Things showed off the band’s penchant for tribal drumming, with singer/guitarist/keyboardist Kelcey Ayer layering drummer Matt Frazier’s beats with fancy floor tom work (often while singing AND playing keys).
Their epic and brilliantly rehearsed live arrangements shone through on tracks like World News, Shape Shifter and Sticky Thread, adding some material fans had not heard on record. A nice touch considering they have been so busy touring that there are no wholly new songs to be heard as yet. Front man extraordinaire Taylor Rice thanked the crowd, claiming they had made the room ‘as hot as an Australian summer should be’ before thanking the support acts and launching into the final portion of their set.
Crowd favourites Airplanes and Who Knows Who Cares highlighted the talent they have for vocal melodies/harmonies, with half of the audience (90% of which seemed to be female) screaming ‘I want you back’ and various ‘oooh’s’ and ‘ahhh’s’. This was quite an experience to behold as they closed their set, only to re-appear minutes later for encore track Sun Hands, a wonderfully melodic and energetic song to conclude the performance.
Here’s hoping their sophomore album will be equally as impressive.
Nigel Moyes
