Cub Sport’s music has been described as ‘infectiously happy with summer pop vibes’. Their live show does just the same, carrying off a smooth-sailing performance that is surprisingly low-key. Not as in low energy (each band member pays ferocious attention to their instruments) but the night took a friendly register, only encouraged by the cosy venue – Brighton Up Bar in Sydney.
Tim Nelson, lead and songwriter of the band, explained each song with a mysterious anecdote: “This one’s about a girl who wrote off my car”/”This song’s about when my friends and I broke into a pool”, but judging by the level of premature audience reactions, most were already fans familiar with the back stories.
As part of their Paradise EP launch, Cub Sport mainly focused on their new tunes but we also heard some old favourites. “Scream” quietened the crowd with the beautiful boy-girl harmonies (Nelson singing with bassist Zoe Davis) and bittersweet words of lost love and then suddenly the mood flipped and they plunged into their indie pop single “Pool”, then people started dancing.
But no track was without someone singing along, including one of their earlier Unearthed tracks “Told You So” and the signature Cub Sport Destiny’s Child/Beyonce medley – just as effective in a small room as at a festival. It was a fairly quick set, with no gaps in between songs. Then after closing with “Evie” (“This one’s about my dog”), Nelson extended the Brisbane cheeriness with an open invitation to hang out at the bar after the show.
