The setting was the RRR performance space for what was to be My Disco's second last gig in Melbourne before going overseas (their last being at Golden Plains... please don't get me started). I had been attempting to see these guys since I got my hands on their latest cd 'Paradise', and due to a variety of factors, had missed them every single time. But before I could enjoy their tunes, the support acts vied for my affections.
I only saw the last few songs of their set... which was still more than what I saw of them at Laneway. The main dude, Kes, has somesort of bizaar charisma about him that I just can't put my finger on. The tunes have a great jive to them (the ones I saw anyway), and combined with this undescribable showmanship that Kes seems to have, I really started getting to it. Will check out again, properly so I can review them properly.
By the time Sydney duo NOTV hit the stage, a lot of the crowd had made themselves comfortable on the floor, looking really relaxed. Nice lady singer suggested we get relaxed now, as the tunes were going to possibly make us feel a little uneasy. Uneasy was the right word... for the next forty minutes we were treated/subjected to a combination of Horror Movie soundtrack and 'Homemade tape by a kid who just worked out how to create feedback using two tape recorders'. Strangely through all the noise a lot of it stuck, some nasty drum beats cutting through the mess made the whole thing really hypnotising. I imagine when David Lynch takes a girl home and she says 'I'm just going to slip into something a little more comfortable, why don't you put some music on', and then she goes in the other room... David puts on Naked on the Vague. Then they come up with Inland Empire.
In between bands, the inhouse system was just playing RRR (which made sense), and they played a fantastic cover of a Suicide song by Bruce Springsteen called 'Dream Baby Dream'. It's the second time I've heard it and for some reason I think it's terrific. But I digress...
From the moment the music started I knew I was in for a great show. I've actually sat in front of the screen trying to descibe the whole thing for about 5 minutes now and haven't come with anything. Go to the myspace and hear the tunes. Then think of how great it'd be live, with almost earpiercing guitar, and a rythm section that could drive slaves to build the pyramids (?!). It was like pounding techno music but not, and heavy metal but not. When the band bashed out the main riff to 'An Even Sun', there was an amazing silence for a quarter of a second after each line... a silence that was like a punch in the face. Amazing. During ' You Came To Me Like A Cancer Lain Dormant Until It Blossomed Like A Rose' (sounds like a band that would play at Soundwave), some young'uns jumped the stage, and one dude, totally outdoing my Girl Talk experience, was handed the guitar and invited to supply the noise for about 30 seconds. Smiles all round from the band, the jumpers, the audience and most importantly me. During one of the song breaks someone shouted out 'Don't Go'.... and that is totally my feeling. It's like falling in love with a girl the day before she has to leave on a rocketship to Mars because she's in a top secret space program. But at least I can tell everyone about this.
awesome review! i'm spewing i missed out, wanna go to the dingdong on thurs after beer and burger? sounds pretty hardcore, we can get some of that soundwave spirit!
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