Featuring a decidedly more ‘underground’ lineup than in 2010 or 09, the third annual Big British Sound event was downsized from the Metro to the Gaelic Theatre, and the ticket price was a ridiculously affordable $10. Throw in the fact that many guests were able to walk away with a couple of free drinks and a Ben Sherman shirt, this was definitely a brilliant value for money evening.
So what of the music? First up were Step-Panther, who were sounding decidedly more British than usual… however on a re-listen of their music, I think this was just a feature of their music I hadn’t noticed before. In any case, they fit the bill well – though I’ve definitely seen better performances from the Sydney boys.
Melbourne were well represented by Boy in a Box, who ripped through a set list which included “Longest Road”, “Broken Bones” and their popular single “Moon Comes Up”. Taking their cover spot was The Clash’s “I Fought The Law”. Feeling more like a Aussie pub rock band (with a taste of pop) than anything else, I can’t say I was overly impressed by the band – though their single is damn catchy. Sounds like the sort of stuff coming out of the Brisbane scene at the moment. I daresay this is a band with a bright future – and a pretty damn cool name (though they may have a US band of the same name to contend with further down the line) – so I’m very keen to see where they go.
While we all expected Ball Park Music next, we were instead provided with Strange Talk – the set times at the front desk were written incorrectly. Step-Panther weren’t even on it! Either someone simply forgot to print out the correct times, or they need to be schooled in event etiquette 101: let the public know who they’re seeing, and when they’re going to see them – especially when they’re less recognisable bands.
Riding the wave that Gypsy & The Cat, Phoenix and Passion Pit have left in their wake, Strange Talk are another Melbourne group not doing anything particularly interesting, yet making some damn fun and catchy music all the same. Their debut self-titled EP is definitely worth a listen, with an impressive production and a few “damn, that’s actually really good songwriting” moments. Their cover of “Sweet Dreams” proved a highlight of the night, as did their brief cover of “Song 2” by Blur. Their own track “Is It Real?” went down quite well, too. Strange Talk are a welcome addition to the national touring circuit. Nothing wrong with a band giving a crowd a good time!
Closing out the band portion of the night were indeed Brisbane’s Ball Park Music, who I’ve had the opportunity to catch quite a few times in the last year or so. I genuinely love this band, and they definitely gave it their all tonight. However, as the crowd had begun to thin out by this point, the band didn’t have too much to work with – though set closer and Triple J fav “iFly” got a few tails wagging. “It’s Nice to Be Alive” opened things up earlier quite nicely, and “Sad Rude Future Dude” remains a catchy treat. They performed The Kink’s “All Day and All of the Night” with class, and ended the set with a stupid amount of energy – screaming into microphones and throwing themselves around the stage. All in all, it was a great way to end the night, ahead of FBi Radio DJ Sweetie taking us well past our bed time on the decks.
Tonight, Ben Sherman put together an enjoyable evening for punters, even if the vibe didn’t quite feel right. It’s always hard to articulate these sorts of things in writing, you may have just had to be there to know what I mean, but put quite simply: the music just didn’t hit the high marks it had in previous years, where bands like Little Red and Jonathan Boulet stole the shows, and there was little enthusiasm in the air for what was on offer on the stage.
Over the course of the event’s three years in Sydney, I daresay they seem to have run out of stream. The intrigue of the event has always been seeing Australian bands you know and love playing rare and unique covers of classic British tracks. However, with this lineup leaving most in the crowd going “who are these guys?”, and most not even listening to the tunes, they weren’t able to toy with the same sensibilities.
But this expectation in itself is only for those familiar with the event: the branding and promotion of the event left most people unsure as to what it was all about / what the point of it all was. But really, what’s the point of any party? To promote a brand and show everyone a good time. While I think it goes without saying they achieved this, I’d be surprised if the event continued next year without a serious re-think. These sort of concept events can only last so long before the intrigue of it all wears off and people start wondering why they’re there, which is exactly how it felt this year: just another night out on the town.
But let’s leave this on one very positive note: any company that is going out of their way to support Live Australian Music has my full support. So I’ll get the ball rolling on some ideas… Perhaps next year it should be called “A Convict’s Ode to the Motherland”. At the very least someone will arrive wearing shackles, and THIS I would pay to see. On this note, I’ll leave the ball in your court Mr. Sherman…
