Whilst not the worst kept secret in Sydney’s recent memory (here’s looking at you, DJ Thom Yorke), an air of anticipation certainly filled the iconic Annandale Hotel as the sun set over Sydney on Australia Day.
With the Hottest 100 wrapping up, those preferring to leave jingoist flag-clad culture celebration well alone retreated to the secular inner-west with three words on their lips: You. Am. I.
The ‘dale has certainly undergone a well-reported tough time of late, but you’d have been forgiven for not feeling that vibe at all with the venue filling to capacity rather early.
It’s always nice for an opening support group to play to a room that is filling quickly; and this was certainly the case with Novocastrian three piece group The Guppies.
Their sounds were reminiscent perhaps of an early Kings of Leon (remember when they produced decent raw music and had beards?). The Guppies are a young group who should be worth keeping an eye on as they further cultivate their sound and live act on the road.
Sydney group Cabins have been impressing for a few years now, and proved more than a capable support for the occasion. An ensemble who put on a very impressive slot last week in support of Bridezilla’s farewell dance, and certainly justified their place with a set that was altogether ramshackle whilst never out of control.
Any doubt as to who the group billed as ‘The Question Fruit’ were was hushed by the emergence of one of the few men in this country who actually looks classy-as-fuck wearing a white cowboy hat: Mr Tim Rogers.
Cue “Ain’t Gone & Open” – and a usually lacklustre Sydney crowd appears to revel like it’s 1966 revisited with You Am I at the helm.
The band appeared to be in good spirits as they move into the set, sampling from their deep catalogue and also treating the eager crowd to their version of the Stones’ “Miss You”.
If anything, drummer Rusty Hopkinson is the only member of the group who appears to be going through the motions, but it does little to impact what this group can deliver.
Rogers appeared confident yet humble, regularly engaging with the crowd who were ready for the party he was looking to put on.
The last third of the show was reminiscent of an old-fashioned sing-along through Hi-Fi Way and Hourly Daily , highlighted by “Good Mornin”, “Cathy’s Clown”, “Trike”, and a very energetic “Minor Byrd”.
There’s always a mixed feeling when a group with such depth of material produce what might be viewed as a night of ‘hits’, but as Messrs Kent, Rogers, Hopkinson, and Lane took their bows – and with “Rumble” and “Berlin Chair” still reverberating through the room, there was no question that You Am I are still, and shall always remain, a goddamn national treasure.
