Following on from many years of supporting local music from afar – showcasing Aussie bands to US audiences in conjunction with SXSW – the Aussie BBQ has made its local debut, first in Melbourne last week, and now, finally, in Sydney. It was an immediate pity that the show couldn’t have been on a non-work/school night, as this gave the crowd numbers a bit of a hit, but it didn’t keep the night from being one of the best musical showcases the city has seen in some time.
The Goldhearted were first up, playing what was apparently their first ever live show. Although as band member Glenn Dickie, who we interviewed last month in advance of this event [link], is one of the founding members of the Aussie BBQ event, we can understand why they were part of the fun. For a band so new, it was surprising to see the band completely dominate the stage with confidence and passion. Perhaps one could argue their sound is a bit “too big” so early in the game, but that didn’t take away from the quality of the performance. These cats show true promise, and we see look forward to seeing them develop – and I reckon they’ll have a blast along the way.
City Riots were next, after a short 10 minute interval – a feature which, surprisingly, continued throughout the night. “In Your Head” opened up the occasion and was an impressive number – the band were tight, polished, and a rich maturity shone through this young band’s lyrics. While this set the stage for the remainder, there was a variety in their style, and while the second track was rather different than the first, it was distinctly their own. They’re definitely a band to watch.
One of my favourite bands in Sydney, Sherlock’s Daughter, weren’t far behind and as usual blew all the competition out of the water. While they lack some of the vocal variety you might find in bands like The Jezebels or Cloud Control, they have a consistency of quality, substance and style, that makes them a true joy to watch. Single “Song For Old People” was a highlight of the set, and you couldn’t help but have a smile on your face throughout. The set ended with lead singer Tanya Horo taking over the drums, and she and the rest of the group left us all eager for more.
With so little time between sets, I unfortunately missed most of Toby Martin from Youth Group‘s set, as I enjoyed some of the BBQ we were being treated to outside. When I returned to the stage, however, I witnessed Toby’s final song, during which he strummed a ukulele! It was a quiet, but entertaining number, although it didn’t quite fit in with the rest of the evening.
Next up were Goons of Doom, and all I can say is: wow. This band, for lack of a better phrase, is so fucking rad. Dominating the stage and the dancefloor, the Sydney four piece produce damn catchy, fly on your face rock and roll. Their sets are varied, and include tracks that are “beebop for all the stiffies”, and others which balance hilarity with underground rock. Think Black Lips meets bogan rock, with easy to sing along lyrics and a bit of a Royal Headache vibe. Beer glasses were used as instruments for one, with one member hitting them with a drum stick. Later in the set, the lead singer became a shark and attacked the crowd, eventually being placed on a chair and spun around as he sung the lyrics: “the shark that took my lover there should be more sharks like that around here”. Hilarious. Fantastic. Awesome. Their set ended with “Burn Alive”.
While they were never going to be able to follow such an experience, Cassette Kids nonetheless put on a great show to round out the night, and sounded more polished than ever. Single “Lying Around” was awesome, and showed off lead singer Katrina Noorbergen’s ever growing skill and confidence on the stage. “Spin”, their new single was also thrown in, and showcased the band producing some pure, unadulterated and unapologetic pop. “Nothing on TV” ended their entertaining set, and they briefly mentioned their excitement at getting to next play SXSW, with many of the fantastic Aussie bands we saw on that stage tonight. “Are you jealous?”, Katrina quipped. Indeed you should be,. But I myself look forward to seeing them over there – and with a contingency like this on offer, there’s no reason why Australia won’t be a dominating force on the Austin stage. BBQ included.
