Luke Benge’s new project Rohypnotise made their live debut at the Phoenix on Saturday and their particular brand of chilled out dream pop made for pleasant listening. The band had a very relaxed vibe and while they aren’t the liveliest bunch I’ve ever seen, the strength of their music was obvious during the last few songs that I arrived in time to see. They were a fun, technically accomplished band who are definitely worth keeping an eye on.
I found Pearls set to be a bit hit and miss. Their outfit uniformity was amusing and the way they worked their atmospherics with the slow building instrumental climaxes was enjoyable. However I found it difficult to engage with the band as they were quite stand offish and barely acknowledged the audience, seemingly intent on honing their sound. My mind kept zoning in and out during their performance and whether you blame it on the heat, sleep deprivation or the band’s lack of communication with the audience, for whatever reason I could not make myself pay attention to them while they were onstage. Here’s hoping for a better time with Pearls on our next encounter.
I first witnessed the majesty of The Night Terrors at the bar formerly known as Trout in North Hobart back in 2006. Miles Brown had fluoro pink hair and the most amazing presence I had ever encountered and I was instantly smitten with the band. Six years on The Night Terrors live show is still one of the best things I have ever seen. They offer such a unique experience as they fully engage your every sense with both the power of their compositions and Brown’s incredible theremin skills. He is an elegant performer who plays with a subtle grace and the way he interacts with his instrument as though they are one is thrilling to watch.
The Night Terrors are the real deal and they played a mind blowing set that was enhanced by the lighting display and the visual projections at the back of the stage. The band perform as a unified being, exuding a raw energy and unbridled passion the likes of which is rare to witness and difficult to put into words. The way they express through their instrumental compositions floors me every time I see them play and it was a pleasant surprise to discover that their new material includes a few vocals courtesy of Brown.
It’s criminal that The Night Terrors have a more supportive following overseas then they do here in Australia. They are a must see live act who hopefully will soon garner the accolades that their talent deserves.
