A small crowd ventured out on a freezing Wednesday night to take in the sounds of two up and coming local artists Goodnight Owl and Dan Webb.
Goodnight Owl take my breath away with their sweeping, electronic ambience that never fails to deliver live. Eddie Alexander has a disarming stage presence and put on a highly emotive show, with his distinctive vocals and gorgeous folk melodies.
Goodnight Owl treated the crowd to a few new songs “Red Wolf” and “Ice Age”, along with “Verandah” and “Stale bread” from their self-titled debut EP. Their live show is an engaging experience with a mix highly atmospheric sounds and a few solo numbers from Eddie, that sound even better live than the studio recordings. Goodnight Owl are a must see live act. Be sure to check them out with upcoming support slots for Ernest Ellis and Tash Parker.
Dan Webb is a young musical prodigy who has been making waves on the local scene with the release of his new EP, Hyperspace Clearance, which showcases his mastery of the keys and flair for writing theatrical layered tunes that are playful and fun. Webb borrowed the horn section from The Cat Empire to launch the tunes from Hyperspace Clearance, which went down a treat with the audience. He’s a competent performer who seemed at home onstage, having a grand time interacting with the crowd and his band mates whilst playing two keyboards at once.
Their live show is fast paced and packed full of a frenetic energy that had the crowd up and dancing to the massive whirlwind of funk. Highlights of the set were cracking renditions of “Weekends”, “Mad As A Hatter”, a surprisingly good cover of George Harrison’s “Let It Down” and final song for the night “Sabotage This” from 2009’s Capitulation EP. Having just won the AU Review’s Incubator band competition and supporting artists like The Pictures and The Cuckoo’s this is one young man whose star is definitely on the rise. If you’re a fan of theatrical, keyboard heavy pop than check out Dan Webb whilst he’s still playing shows at intimate venues like the Northcote.
