The War On Drugs triumphantly returned to Victoria after their standout performance at what would ultimately be the last ever Harvest Festival in 2012.
It’s been almost a year since the Philadelphian four-piece played live, opting instead to spend 2013 hard at work on their new record Lost In The Dream, due for release in March.
For a band that has made a name for themselves on the back of their renowned live show, it’s been a lengthy hiatus from touring. Frontman Adam Granduciel and co. seemed genuinely happy to be back on stage, a feeling obviously shared by the sold-out, adoring Northcote Social Club crowd.
Coming before appearances at Falls Festival in Marion Bay, Lorne and Byron Bay, and another show in Sydney, the set saw the band playing much of their new material for the first time, providing the fans with a unique atmosphere.
After the curtains were drawn back, the casual foursome strode on stage and created a hazy, messy wall of noise before breaking into a 10-minute long new song similar to material from the band’s brilliant second record, Slave Ambient.
Granduciel provided a simple and humble “thanks for having us” to the packed crowd before taking to the harmonica on ‘I Was There’. ‘Red Eyes’, the only song that has been released from the new album so far, garnered a great response from the crowd, while older favourite ‘Brothers’ was an early standout.
Shows that comprise of a lot of unheard, new material are always a bit strange and unpredictable, with both the band and audience often feeling the other out. Often this creates a separated, subdued show – but thankfully this wasn’t the case at all, with the enthusiastic Melbournians embracing the new songs. While most of the set was dedicated to debuting newer material, there was just the right amount of old tunes to maintain everyone’s full attention.
The band certainly didn’t look like they had taken most of 2013 off performing. Instead, the four-piece were immediately in tune and playing off each other. The only hint to a hiatus (of sorts) was when Granduciel remarked, “I forgot the lyrics to my own song like an idiot, so I printed them off and left them upstairs”.
‘Best Night’ saw the frontman’s drawled and laid-back vocals shine, while ‘Come To The City’ received the most enthusiastic reaction of the night. David Hartley’s bass was the foundation of the set, while keyboardist Robbie Bennett added new and intriguing elements to each song.
As soon as a hazy jam was about to stray too far and lose the audience, the band brought it back to a simple, catchy hook before venturing off again into their addictive world. The four are not overly energetic – each member generally kept to themselves without much movement – but this allowed the music to speak entirely for itself and show just how good it is.
The guitar-driven ‘Eyes To The Wind’ was the standout of the new songs and even provided a screeching and expertly crafted guitar solo. In fact, every tune was given an extended outro jam that allowed each member to display their talent. A simple nod ended each piece, displaying the natural, almost subconscious connection between each member.
There was hardly a moment for the sold-out crowd to show their appreciation, with fuzzy, ambient sounds filling in the blanks between each song. That said, audience requests for ‘Comin’ Through’ were immediately answered.
After returning for a one-song encore, the Americans left to an overwhelming and well-deserved reaction.
It was a set that resembled an hour and a half long jam, and for this to work as well as it did is a testament to the talent of the band.
The War On Drugs were lost in their own spaced-out world while performing, but it was an infectious and inviting show that welcomed everyone who was lucky enough to witness it.
