As Sydney’s infamous Annandale Hotel celebrates its tenth birthday, bands from around Australia are joining in on the party, in a series of live performances for the venue. For some, like The Vines and Regurgitator, it’s a chance to relive the glory days when they were up and coming local artists. And for the new generation of Australian success stories, it’s a chance to capitalise on their exciting rise in popularity. One such band were the headliners tonight – Blue Mountain’s Cloud Control, whose new album Bliss Release has been received with unanimous praise from the nation’s top music critics. Tonight was part of the album’s tour, so they brought along a couple of pals for the show.
We Say Bamboulée were playing when I arrived at the venue, which was already packed out, some 2 hours before Cloud Control were to hit the stage. The band, a three-piece from the Blue Mountains with two keyboardists and a drummer (there was also a trumpet briefly thrown into the mix), are a standout of the feel-good indie dance/pop scene. They capture the infectious energy of bands like MGMT, Pheonix, Friendly Fires and most specifically Passion Pit, and combine it with the impressive versatility of an act like Yeasayer. Their instrumental jams were where the band shined the brightest, but put simply: Doug, Peter and Russell know how to create energetic, infectious tunes that leave you dancing long after they’ve left the stage. If you have the chance to see them, take it!
Kyu were next, a Sydney two-piece made up of Freya Berkhout and Alyx Dennison (who also play in Parades). I could best describe them to you as a tribal version of Animal Collective. There’s a great emphasis on the drums, while they’re experimental to the point that they’d put a smile on Bjork’s face, should she ever be in the crowd! Their music was all too often softer than the sold-out crowd (a fault of the crowd, not the band), but at times it would overpower, becoming an epic mix of melody, drums and vocals. It was here that they really impressed. I feel like I need to see them in a small room, covered in bean bags, to truly appreciate their music. A sold-out Annandale crowd is just a bit too loud – and of course this sort of music isn’t for everyone.
I’m at a point with Cloud Control that I feel I’ve written so much about them over the years that I can’t think of much more to say about them. They’re getting better and better with every new song they produce, but they’re still just as tight as they’ve always been. Perhaps the only thing that’s changed is their on-stage confidence. Where they were once the new band from the mountains who were just happy to have their music heard, they’re now consistently touted as the “next big thing” (by people such as us) and they’re more than happy to embrace the title. Alister is now very much a certified frontman, beaming with energy and gravitas, with Heidi providing a natural balance alongside as the beaming frontwoman!
Tonight they returned to their origins, playing almost the entirety of their self-titled EP: Early on “Vintage Books” and “In Your World” impressed, and of course “Death Cloud” closed the night out. But I think it was the new material that most pleased the crowd, who had crowded the Annandale to the point I felt like a sardine in a tin! “Medication Song #2”, single “Gold Canary” and “The Rolling Stone” are of particular mention, with the slower track, “Beast of Love”, Bliss Release’s album closer, showing a new range for the band.
If you haven’t given in to the hype yet, you’re missing out. They’re one of Australia’s finest bands – and fit nicely alongside the other Annandale birthday headliners. Head to http://www.annandalehotel.com/ to find out who else is playing the celebrations!
