Fresh from a completely different live music event in the Valley, I walk a number of flights of stairs to the Top Floor – an art/music space and perhaps the only venue of its kind in Brisbane CBD. Warming up tonight’s festivities – Felinedown’s first anniversary/EP digital re-release party – are dance-punks Moon Jog, whose highly energetic shows throughout the year have earned them a “must-see” tag. Spouting a whole plethora of wheezing analog synth and stabbing, “angular” guitar sounds, the trio gradually get the crowd going; bass player Rhett still sports the most awesome beard in town and calling cards Byrds Of Paradise and storming DanceDisco are a kicking, if minimalist, indie-dance cuts. In short, these guys are rather bad-ass.
The dancefloor is well and truly heaving with loudly cheering punters by the time jubilant one year-olds Felinedown (pictured above) take to the stage. Singer Brodie Wright (who’s also celebrating her birthday tonight) is not only an embodiment of sass, but also a highly charismatic frontwoman, alternately strutting and gyrating in her bright-coloured tassel dress to the band’s solid beats and crunchy guitars (ably provided by axeman Glen Gattenhof). Upbeat new track Exactly Like Me gets another airing alongside live staples Sweet (recently given a radical electronic remix by MM9 mastermind Daniel Sutherland), Unrequited and regular set closer Magazine Dream – all sounding fresh after the countless times I’ve seen the band live. Firmly in the party spirit, bass player Zac Gould – the youngest of the four musicians and an erstwhile singer/guitarist in another local collective The Orange City Sings – unleashes an array of stage antics worthy of any quality rock entertainer while not missing a single beat from skinsman Ash Town: props. Additional thoughts? These guys could very well be the next Garbage – correct me if I’m wrong.
Decked out for the occasion, Brissy melodic rock masters Grand Atlantic launch straight into the shoegaze-leaning ‘Coast Is Clear’ from their excellent second album How We Survive, singer Phil Usher, guitarist Morgan Hann (employing a spankin’ vintage Burns 12-string electric), bassist Sean Bower and drummer Mat Von Diehm ambushing their instruments with the right degree of aggression and swagger. Recently riding high – both “She’s A Dreamer” (given an appropriately dreamy rendition tonight) and the hip-shaking “Trip Wires” currently in rotation on Triple J, non-stop gigging, headline interstate tours, major festival appearances and a forthcoming South By Southwest showcase – the four-piece put on a taut old-school performance and a big smile on this rock & roll tragic’s face. Older rockouts “Smoke & Mirrors” and The Kinks-y “Last Night” go down an absolute treat, as do HWS’s ‘60s-flavoured stompers “Used To Be The Sensitive Type” (complete with catchy “sha-la-la”-s) and “Just Another Ghost Town” (best song Jet never wrote or will ever write, full stop). Groovy, baby!
Grand Atlantic photo by Dane Beesley, taken from the band’s Myspace Page
Felinedown photo taken by Gerard Nicholls on the night! Check out his flikr page for more!
