After a busy summer exploring the festivities of Australia’s live music hotspots, Melbourne brotherhood collective Loon Lake returned to their old stomping ground, in the form of the iconic Corner Hotel, for a showcase of their charming, upbeat indie rock n roll.
The exception to the hometown affair was Perth’s Split Seconds, who entertained those eager to catch a glimpse of the charismatic young rock act. Pulling off an impressive set, the five piece worked their way through a well-balanced and obviously well refined set, which flawlessly connected all band members on stage as they oozed enthusiasm; clearly having as much fun as the audience before them.
For a relatively unestablished act, the presentation of their material (including a reworked track of iconic singer songwriter Paul Kelly) was enticing, leaving attendees eagerly awaiting their next movements as a band.
Following on from an impressive start, Eagle And The Worm introduced a different kind of flair to the Corner stage. Referencing their debut album Good Times, the group made their way through a set filled with a combination of classic blues and jazz with a splash of modern indie rock.
Sadly, the crowd was overwhelmed with an excess of onstage activity and unbalanced combination of melody, which made it seem as if each instrumentalist was competing for supreme attention.
Be that as it may, the performance showed evidence of why Eagle And The Worm are one of the newest Melbourne-birthed indie sensations.
As the sold out venue began to bulge, it was obvious a glimpse of Melbourne’s new favourite indie was imminent.
Bursting onto the stage, the boys from Loon Lake were armed with some of the most excited facial features one could imagine. That excitement soon spread, and without hesitation, the tunes flowed.
After the initial ecstasy of their arrival, ‘Bad To Me’ initiated the first of many crowd sing-alongs for the night. Charming axe man and lead singer Sam Nolan shared his excitement about gazing over a packed out venue shortly after: “This isn’t a tour, nor an album launch or whatever; this is just a gig for all you guys!”
All five members created a playfully youthful atmosphere with their onstage antics, ranging from corny over exaggerated guitar strumming, to the occasional wink and cheesy grin to onlooking fans staring back at them.
Their latest instalment, ‘On Fire’ was well received by the crowd, clearly demonstrating their loyalty by reciting a large percentage of the lyrics back in the staging direction.
‘Thirty Three’ and ‘Fantasica’ were performed solidly, demonstrating a sound understanding of both their own instrumental skills, and that of each other’s.
The enjoyment by the punters was amplified by the contagious atmosphere provided by the carefree and clearly blissful members on stage, further connecting fans with the band.
Kicking off their first slower paced number for the evening, was the Triple J backed XX cover ‘Angels’, which again proved the ensemble are not limited to party-esque upbeat rock themes. Lead vocalist Nolan once again showed off his skills as a frontman, serenading with style.
Hottest 100 favourite ‘Cherry Lips’ was belted out in cheerful fashion, with a large chunk of the lyrical work being done by the energetically jolly attendees. Many evidently proving it was really was a struggle to resist a dance…
“It’s not summer anymore, but who cares!” mentioned a jubilant frontman, as the opening melody to ‘In The Summer’ resonated.
The track recrated the original recording perfectly, and because of its simplicity and catchy melody, proved to be an effective favourite.
Finishing with a bang, the recreation of The Darkness’ marquee track ‘I Believe In A Thing Called Love’ gave the original arrangement a run for its money and included all the best parts contained within the track, down to the last over exaggerated, shrilling note.
The night was without a clear highlight, but that’s exactly what made the outing such a fantastic recital.
Instead of fans patiently awaiting their favourite Loon Lake tune, the set was consistently entertaining, not only for those in the crowd, but for the five Melbourne boys that everyone had come to see.
