Tonight was yet another evening of quality music at Sydney’s Oxford Art Factory. Kicking off ARIA weekend, headlining the shindig were Melbourne’s The
Basics, setting the event up as a duel album launch and farewell event. Thanks in part to Wally’s Gotye project, the band will be taking on a two-year-or-so hiatus after a short run of shows around the country. So tonight was indeed the final chance we’d have to see the three piece for quite a while. Bittersweet much? But it only added to the atmosphere – a dedicated crowd here to say goodbye to one of their favourite bands.
Having missed opening act Rapids, Sydney two piece Georgia Fair opened up my evening, and proved themselves to be a force to be reckoned with. These guys are damn good! Playing in full band mode they showed the packed out OAF why people have been giving them so much applause of late. Lisa Mitchell even gave her nod of approval by surprising the crowd and performing a track with the boys. Naturally, single “Picture Frames” gave many that moment of “oh! I do know this band!” thanks to its involvement in some ad campaign earlier in the year… flavoured milk maybe?
Most recent single “Times Fly” was another hit with the crowd – a track which puts to rest any argument against the fact that they sound like Angus Stone. Let’s face it – they do, but they make good music so let’s move on from the subject. (Check out their videos here: http://www.youtube.com/user/GeorgiaFairTV)
Although the performance was mighty impressive, and we were all stoked to see Lisa Mitchell, it was The Basics who everyone had came to see and farewell. And they didn’t disappoint, playing for almost two hours, getting to a point where they honestly had to say: “We don’t know what else we can play!”. But let’s start from the beginning and move our way through the set before we make it there…
"I Can’t Love You" introduced us to the band, as we saw all members join in on vocals. The borderline accapalla style worked brilliantly. They were all in great spirits, too, with Kris Schroeder on bass unable to rid himself of a grin, and cracking up throughout the song. As he mentioned to me in our interview last week, he certainly wasn’t the happiest boy in the world now that The Basics were on hiatus, but he was going to enjoy every last minute of what was to come. And indeed he was doing just that. "Just Hold On" followed close behind, while it was "Rattle My Chain" that saw the band hit their stride as a rock and roll force to be reckoned with.
Indeed, The Basics were taking us down memory lane, and the song of the same name (e.g. "Memory Lane") off their 2007 album Stand Out/Fit In came off well, while "Better", which followed, was a standout. It’s no surprise, therefore, that his was the single they chose for the live album!
<p><object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/tToDOhwN-uI?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/tToDOhwN-uI?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object></p>
But it was more than memory lane – it was an adventure through quite an array of musical styles. "Lovin’ Man" provided us with a move back to a more classic sounding era of rock and roll, while "Hey Rain" took us down more of a country/soul route. In "What It Is To Be Loved By Someone", Wally’s powerful voice shun through on what eventually built up to be quite the epic and energetic little number, and my set favourite. Single "With This Ship", meanwhile, was a crowd favourite, and "Money Back" kicked in some Kinks-esque riffs. "Lime in the Coconut" was a more tongue and cheek number, but once again fit the Basics sounds – a potpourri of some of your favourite sounds, played with skills by a band who should also be your favourite!
They’re known for their covers, and they didn’t disappoint, throwing in "Garbageman" by The Cramps, "Roxanne" by The Police and even a brief "Scatman" interlude during "Friends and Friends". Meanwhile, with the clock ticking well past minute, it seemed like an appropriate time to say goodnight – and unfortunately farewell for now – as they bowed out on "The No. 1 Cause Of Death Amongst Youth Today".
The Basics are a band who have never quite gotten the credit they’ve deserved. Between their impressive albums and standout live shows, fans of the band can’t say enough good things about them. Yet they remain in small venues, with that fan base being criminally small. Meanwhile, Wally de Backer’s project Gotye, which at times isn’t far removed from some the sounds that The Basics pull out (namely "With This Ship"), sells out shows all the time and maintains a dedicated fan base.
Is it an issue with radio support, are fans not vocal enough, or is there something about the music that doesn’t make sit well with the majority? I definitely don’t have an answer for that one, but I’m sure these are the questions they’ll be asking themselves in their hiatus. Here’s hoping that they do return in two years, refreshed and ready to pump out some killer new tracks that finally push them up to the level of popularity they truly belong. But until then, we have their new (free!) self-titled live album to keep us entertained. Just close your eyes and it’ll be just like you’re there!
