The Curtin’s upstairs band room is one of Melbourne’s finest, an affectionately grubby sort of place with on-site pot plants, tacky art, and a sound system that’ll strip paint; as fine a place as any to drink beers and listen to some lovely loud noise.
Opening the show was Nick Roland Allbrook, best known for his work in Pond and Tame Impala. Joined by another Roland (the 505), his solo work is more reminiscent of the former, with hints of the oddball psychedelia that make Pond such an enjoyable live band.
With the trappings of his full band removed, Allbrook delivered a set that retained the wildness of Pond with an immediacy that felt both personal and completely unaffected. Set highlight ‘The Man’s Not Me’ won over a small but captivated audience with distorted samples and pedal shrieks complementing his wavering voice like a digital choir. An impressive set from one of Australia’s most exciting artists
Melbourne has a solid lineup of bands with an ear to early 90s shoegaze, and in an increasingly crowded sub-genre Flyying Colours differentiate themselves with an important feature- they know exactly what they’re doing.
Maybe brothers Sam and Josh Dawes benefit from some psychic connection, but whatever the reason they and vocalist Brodie Brummer are getting a lot of attention. All the ingredients are there, feathery vocals lay atop a warm broth of reverb and fuzz, topped off with a layer of classic post-punk drum fills. The crowd were caught up in it from the very beginning, their single ‘Wavygravy’ was a stand-out mix of familiar elements delivered with skill and certainty.
The Infants are a relatively new band, but they’re one that come with a dedicated following. There’s a lot going here: relaxed 80s MOR riffs that lead into furious solos, some Echo And The Bunnymen-style bass rolled out with aplomb, lo-fi vocals with mysterious portent, and some legitimately funky stage manoeuvres.
With only song available online, The Infants have built a fanbase purely on word of mouth, and they’re definitely worth keeping an eye on.
Headliners Warmth Crashes In promised a power trio for the 21st Century, and on that front they did not disappoint. Sounding something like My Bloody Valentine covering the Top Gun soundtrack, the three-piece has a laser focus that draws people in from the back of the room.
Their unique sound is lead by a series of distorted loops, backed by some of the most ferocious drumming available anywhere. With enormous bass, mournful synths and some definitely-there-but-not-overtaking vocals, Warmth are taking some traditional ideas in interesting new directions. The single ‘Take The Edge Off’ is a more relaxed and contemplative affair, while new tune ‘Codeine Racer’ held a lot more energy than the name might imply.
Their set also featured what might be the dirtiest ever cover of Fatboy Slim’s ‘Praise You’, complete with righteous breakdown. The night demonstrated that there are many things that can be done with some well-selected pedals and a few guitars, and the evening was all the better for it.
