This week is Melbourne Music Week, with today being the Live Music Safari where over 60 acts were playing for free in various venues around the city. Tash and I met up at The John Curtin Hotel in Carlton to catch the first act of the night on bill there, our beloved and much missed band The Harpoons. They started the evening with "You're The One I Love" and played a half hour set of old and new songs, including "Faith" and the fantastic new single "Keep You Around" (have a listen here). Bec Rigby's voice was as amazing and powerful as I remembered it to be, and the band harmonies were lovely. It is so great to have The Harpoons playing live again and hopefully a debut album is on the horizon.
I also had another concert to attend this evening, which was the first of two shows at the Palace Theatre by Boy & Bear in support of their debut album Moonfire. I arrived at the venue as Ball Park Music was finishing their set and caught their last two songs "Sad Rude Future Dude" and "It's Nice to be Alive."
Boy & Bear came out onto the stage to big cheers from the crowd and started their set with "Lordy May." They played the majority of both the Moonfire album and With Emperor Antarctica EP. Highlights of the set for me were "Blood To Gold," "Mexican Mavis," "Milk & Sticks" and "My Only One" (the end part of that song gets me every time). The band were accompanied by a violinist and cellist on several songs, and the crowd sang along to almost everything, including their cover of Crowded House's "Fall At Your Feet." Towards the end of the set they brought out all the supporting bands to sing backing vocals on "Big Man" and then finished the evening with their hit single "Feeding Line." Staying true to previous tour stops in Melbourne the boys continue to maintain their tradition of not playing encores. It was an excellent show and all the touring they have done this year has made them into a really tight live band.
Here's the video for the latest single "Part Time Believer"
I flew into Sydney yesterday afternoon and took the train into the city to meet up with Mel. We walked back to her lovely art deco apartment building in Potts Point/Kings Cross so I could drop off my bag and have a quick change before heading back out. After meeting up with a friend of hers we headed to The Factory Theatre in Marrickville to see Hungry Kids of Hungary. The venue was interesting with this outdoor lounging area before you head upstairs into the bandroom. Since this was an all ages show, the front of stage area was dominated by some very enthusiastic teenagers, while those of us over 18 were in a raised bar area in the other half of the room.
When we arrived we caught the second half of the set for fellow Brisbane band Ball Park Music. They are a very young six piece with a heap of energy. I found them quite entertaining and their single "iFly" was a big hit with the crowd. The lead singer even did some crowd surfing during the song. Next up was Melbourne two piece Big Scary, who I saw earlier in the year opening for Little Red. I enjoyed their set, which was primarily their heavier songs on guitar and drums including "The Apple Song" and "Tuesday Is Rent Day." On the heavier numbers they still remind me of The White Stripes. They did also play two of their quieter songs on piano and drums in the set- "Autumn" and "Falling Away."
Hungry Kids of Hungary came out to big cheers from the nearly sold out crowd, starting with "The Vacationer" and then launching into "Wristwatch." On this tour for their debut album Escapades they have added another guitarist to the band to fill out the sound. I thought the band had great energy on stage and fed off the crowd's enthusiasm. "Let You Down" and "Scattered Diamonds" got a huge response. I was also really happy to hear "China Will Wait," "Set It Right," and old favorites "Arrest This Heart" and "Old "Money." They closed the main set with current single "Coming Around" and then for the encore brought out both opening bands to do a cover of Weezer's "Buddy Holly" and finished with "Two Stones." It was probably one of the best shows I have seen them do.
