After three albums and enough line-up changes to make Fleetwood Mac jealous, Noah and the Whale have finally reached Australian terrain. For long suffering fans it is not a moment too soon. Many have waited half a decade for this gig to eventuate. Yet amidst the heavy anticipation, there is also an expectation for the band to deliver a set that makes up for the years of touring neglect.
Warming up the acoustics for the night is home-grown folksters Husky. Their short yet inoffensive set provides an ideal entrée for the already-building crowd. Lead singer Husky Gawenda – who coincidently sports a resemblance to an adolescent Josh Pyke – is a capable front man whose voice is not dissimilar to the semi-retired Middle East or even his doppelganger.
As the half-hour interval draws to a close the bandroom becomes as congested as peak-hour on a Friday afternoon. Despite being one of the city’s most iconic venues, the Corner Hotel is not without its flaws – namely a lack of space and some unfortunately positioned pillars. Yet in terms of atmosphere there are few others that draw comparison.
Noah and the Whale arrive on stage to a hysterical rapture. Without hesitation they jump straight into their country-tinged brand of electrified folk-pop. The gentle and optimistic yearnings of ‘Give A Little Love’ and ‘Blue Skies’ set a buoyant vibe that refuses to yield for the remainder of the night. So too do new tracks ‘Life Is Life’ and ‘Give It All Back’.
Lead singer Charlie Fink doesn’t talk much between songs. He doesn’t need to. There is a gawkish, almost preppy awkwardness to his persona that seems to spellbind the female contingent of attendees. As a male it is difficult to pinpoint Fink’s appeal. However he did have a much publicised fling with indie-princess Laura Marling so the runs are on the board.
Halfway through the set Fink declares that the ‘romantic’ part of the evening is over (the ‘romantic’ part being the solitary song ‘Wild Thing’). From there the band delves into some of their better known material, including old favourite ‘5 Years Time’. Despite their best intentions, there is a sense of by-the-numbers that creeps into the performance. This continues into the encore with ‘Old Joy’ and latest single ‘L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N’. Given their previous weekend consisted of a Splendour-bender, perhaps the lack of predictability is understandable.
So, was the wait worth the while? For loyal followers of Fink and Co the answer is an unabashed yes. Predictability aside, their set delivered in every aspect. Fans can only hope their next visit doesn’t take another five years time.
– Paul Bonadio
