Local group Montero kicked off the night with a short set that was entertaining, although probably not in the way the band members intended. Their brand of synth heavy pop was catchy but rather generic. Making the best of having a small crowd to entertain, their lead singer danced wildly around with a tambourine before getting down on his knees, seemingly overcome with emotion and moved onto the floor of the band room to sing their last song “Gentlemen Pie”. In spite of Montero’s attempts to leave a good impression, they were lacking in presence and charisma and this combined with their average musicianship did not make for an engaging performance.
The night moved right along to Angel Eyes, a solo artist who blends dark electronic soundscapes with echoing guitar and floating, shadowy vocals. His set was a bit hit and miss as the sounds he was making were interesting, but watching the man bathed in red light twiddling knobs and occasionally making vocal noises and strumming a guitar was not exciting to watch. I can appreciate the atmosphere he was attempting create, which would have been better done with a visual element to keep the audience engaged.
Not being a fan of Dick Diver on record, the early indications of their performance were matching my expectations, so this was the perfect time to step outside and get some air. Fortunately, Pikelet‘s nomination for the Australian Music Prize last year was well deserved and her performance was the saving grace of an otherwise average night. Evelyn Morris is one talented lady and while she may not have a commanding presence, her music is wonderfully expressive and a delight to listen to. Morris began the set performing solo before her band members walked on stage to join her in showcasing their new material.
Pikelet took a while to find their rhythm but once the band had gotten comfortable on stage, Morris and co. came into their own with an evocative show that did justice to their studio work. Highlights of the set were cracking renditions of “Festivus for The Rest Of Us” and “The Weakest Link”, a song that Morris wrote about feeling inadequate with her place in the band. Feelings that don’t seem justified given her obvious flair for piecing together beguiling soundscapes that are eccentric and a lot of fun.
Pikelet weren’t the most energetic performers and they did lack the usual intensity that I’ve come to associate with live shows from their particular genre, but on the whole the strength of their arrangements shone through and there was an endearing charm to Morris’ oddball awkward presence.
Pikelet are taking a short hiatus from the national touring circuit to work on album number three and it was a pleasure to finally catch a live show on their home turf.
