BLOKBSTR are a band that are probably hoping not to be pigeon-holed. The three-piece from Sydney gave us a bit of everything. Samples, instrument swaps, wacky dancing and lots..and lots of voice reverb. Their fun pop-rock translates into an entertaining opening to the night, with a crowd they dubbed as the biggest they’d played enjoying the ride.
“Sam bought a ticket to Yard Act!”, declared lead singer Jimmy about his bass/guitar player, obviously fans of the main act. BLOKBSTR reflected some of the headliners spoken word chunks and tongue-in-check tracks like “I Know the DJ” and “Apartment”, a highlight of the set. Other tracks from their debut EP, “BLOKTAPES” were also given a spin and there’s a loose feeling to this band that harks back to days of old, and that’s a good thing.
For a band that really came out of nowhere during the Covid years, Yard Act certainly have a fervent fan base. On their second trip to Australia after 2023’s Laneway, the Leeds-formed band have built a reputation as a pulsing live band and on their opening show of the Australasian tour (they hit up Korea, China and Japan after this), they were certainly up for it.
“Let’s not waste a minute!” announced lead singer, James Smith, the bespeckled livewire diving straight into “Dark Days”, their opener from the 2021 EP of the same name. Their music translates so well to a live setting with verses building up to chanted chorus lines on a number of their tracks, none more so than “We Make Hits” from their most recent album, Where’s My Utopia. This is just as well, because if you tried to recite the rest of the lyrics, you’d struggle with their rapid staccato delivery.
One of their big hits from 2022’s The Overload is “Dead Horse” and this was a suitably titled song for what happened mid-song. James halted the track and mentioned the infamous ‘shoey’ to the crowd who weren’t even close to asking for it. And, so it was that Smith, along with his two backing singers and dancers would drink from their shoes to a doting crowd. It’s quite the thing when bands come to this country and OFFER to do the gross thing that we’ve pretty much moved on from, but it’s nice to be known for something?
Speaking of the backing singers, Lauren Fitzpatrick and Daisy Smith were a fantastic addition to the show and the remainder of the ‘Dream Job’ tour. Mostly they were at the back of the stage (needing much more lighting), but would occasionally move to the front of the stage for sweetly choreographed moves. The vocals were a much-appreciated addition, but the dancing was the cherry on top! Not to mention the saxophone and keyboard addition to the group which really filled out the sound along with the core members.
The bass of Ryan Needham is steady throughout, similar to this demeanour, whilst the lashes of guitar from moustachioed Sam Shipstone really drive the off-beat kilter – along with rock-solid drummer, Jay Russell – that the band are known for and James Smith riffs over. His vocal is impressive all night, including a tonne of screams, an on-point death growl near the end of the set and generally just remembering all of the lyrics to a stack of songs.
“Sydney’s so much better than Melbourne!” James Smith obviously knows how to get a crowd reaction as he engaged the audience throughout pumping them up with his on-stage antics which included writhing on the stage, hugging his mic stand or covering his face with a towel. “The Trench Coast Museum” was a welcome addition to the set, tying in a fantastic bassline, driving the song as Smith took to a sample board at the front of the stage, the dancers did their thing and the song carried through for at least it’s whole 8 minutes.
In a comment that resonates with the privilege of the crowd and country, “Even if this is a 7 out of 10 show, there’s plenty of worse places to be”, Smith manages to keep himself at our level throughout. There’s no posturing, no ego, he just lets the music and his very personal and biting lyrics do the talking. “Seriously, this is fucking great, Sydney”, he declares before the biting and suitable “Pour Another” is performed with the very poignant lyrics, “Standing ’round hand in hand, watching the world burn.”
After performing the title track from The Overload, the crowd (and room) had really warmed up and Smith noted, “My glasses are so steamy… I can’t see anything!”. It was a hot finish to the set as they performed Eddy Current Suppression Ring’s “Which Way To Go” to start the encore with Smith declaring, “Australia has some of the greatest bands on the world” before “The Trapper’s Pelts” wrapped it up, their debut EP getting a lot of love on the night.
For a Tuesday night in Sydney, a sold-out show at The Factory Theatre is no surety, but Yard Act proved that they are a band worth seeing on any night and their rise from Leeds to the world is something worth being a part of.
FOUR STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
Yard Act Tour dates
Tickets available HERE
13th November – Croxton Bandroom – Melbourne – SOLD OUT
14th November – The Triffid, Brisbane
16th November – Adeloud, Adelaide
17th November – Freo Social, Perth
