TheBandReview

Band: A Dead Forest Index
Date: 15/11/11
Venue: The Old Bar, 74-76 Johnston Street, Fitzroy, VIC

Reviewer: Tommy

A Dead Forest Index consists of brothers Sam and Adam Sherry, who produce a dark/melodic/moody brand of indie rock, which could affect even the most cheery persons persona in a matter of just a few bars. Listening to tracks online before we went down had me expecting more than a duo, but thanks to some well used vocal effects, guitarist and lead singer Adam’s already impressive voice is given a whole new dimension.

The beginning of the set began with a melodic drum beat and long drawn out vocals which set the tone for the set, however the end of the first track must have caught a few off guard as when it was finished it was met with a silent pause. Now generally when a song is greeted with silence it is an indication that the song is…. well… shit, but in this case it said more about the mood it cast upon the room; as if the silence was in reverence to the moving sound which these boys create (not to get too wanky about it).

At the end of the next couple of tracks the crowd had settled into the mood of the set and greeted the finishes with subdued applause, not to say people were not enjoying the set, it just seemed a fitting response to such haunting vocals and hypnotic drum beats, and it was clear people were not about to leave the room.

The next track ‘Anchor in the Hands’ built up as the last couple of tracks to finish with a solo vocal which had at least one gig goer closing his eyes to better appreciate the reverbed, harmonised vocals, which threatened to bring the room to tears. By now you could see everyone in the crowd staring, almost mesmerized by this voice, waking only to show their appreciation with a clap at the end of each track.

When ‘Distance’, was played, with its heavy drum beat and hypnotic riff, it had almost everyone bobbing their heads and you could see the crowd getting into the show almost as much as can be expected for the style of music.

With the thematic drum beats, vocal solo’s and fade out finishes the rest of the set was as eerily captivating as the beginning. The whole set was as emotionally charged as a gig is likely to get, using its simple structures to also create silences, which could be felt as much as the noise, and it left everyone with a reminder that the darker side of life can still be beautiful.

When playing songs with a simple structure you should do it well, and these boys show how it should be done and are worthy of a ‘Damn these guys are tight!’. Its not the usual thing I would go out to see, perhaps more suited to being listened to at home alone when the mood is right but I have no trouble recommending for you guys to go check this act out. Seeing them live will give you a better appreciation for their music, as the boys live sound is as good, if not better, than the recordings.

A Dead Forest Index are in the middle of a residency at The Old Bar and, as if you needed more incentive, the next gig is free!! I also recommend you get down early to check out the supports as we got the chance to catch a set by musician/visual artist ‘Great Earthquake’, who is also an artist best appreciated live.

Scale of Awesomeness Rating: Damn these guys are tight! (see the rating scale here)

Upcoming gigs:

23 Nov at The Old Bar, 74-76 Johnston Street, Fitzroy

30 Nov at The Old Bar, 74-76 Johnston Street, Fitzroy

17 Dec at Hells Kitchen, 201 Centre Place, Melbourne with Sarah Chadwick

Facebook/Myspace/Soundcloud links:

http://www.facebook.com/adeadforestindex

http://www.myspace.com/adeadforestindex

http://soundcloud.com/a-dead-forest-index 

FREE 4 TRACK EP “ANTIQUE” AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD HERE: http://adeadforestindex.bandcamp.com/

Band: Ross de Chene Hurricanes
Date: 19/11/11
Venue: The Gasometer Hotel, 484 Smith St, Collingwood, VIC

Reviewer: Mark

I should start this review by stating that I have seen this dirty duo a number of times before, and since the very first time I saw them live, have thought that they fucking rock. But this is a review of their performance at The Gasometer Hotel, because that’s how we do it at The Band Review – it’s all about the performance on the night.

So, we were at The Gaso on a Saturday night, and I was suffering from some wicked indigestion as a result of trying to slam down my chicken burger as fast as I could so that I didn’t miss the start of the Ross de Chene Hurricane’s set. As I rushed upstairs, I felt like I had stepped into someone’s nicely carpeted living room, which had cleared out the TV and the couches, to be replaced with a bar, drum kit and couple stacks of speakers.

The band room is small and cosy, but you could cram a lot of people in the space. This was not the case for this particular gig however, with around 15 people in the room at the start of the de Chene’s set. The two lads were on stage, acting pretty casual and having a laugh, but this all changed in an instant, as they opened with their first track, which exploded out of the speakers and gripped everyone in the room by their nipples. The de Chene’s have a punk/garage rock sound, somewhat 60’s inspired with a mix of surf pop thrown in for some tracks as well, such as the aptly titled song, “Umm Yeah I Surf”.

The cleanly distorted guitars were that powerful it was like being kicked in the head, and I loved it. The drummer, Justin Kuchel (J-Dogg), had his head down and was belting the drums so hard I thought that he was going to burst through the snare. The lead singer/guitarist, Mark Doman, was bobbing about with his Strat strapped high, blasting out some very raw and simply effective garage rock guitar riffs. Doman’s voice suits this style of music perfectly, incorporating gritty, yet crisp shouts with reverb soaked melodies. He does it effortlessly, and I don’t think he realises how good his voice actually is. Listen to this song and you might understand what I mean…

Hello, How Low Can You Go by Ross de Chene Hurricanes

The de Chene’s had some really catchy tracks in the set, such as the slower tempo, 1960’s pop style song, ‘Sheila, The Drug Stealer’; with Doman’s nasally vocals complimenting the basic yet highly enjoyable chord progressions and steady beat. ‘Sugar, Honey,’ was also another favourite, which makes you want to get up and dance the twist for the verse, and mosh like crazy for the chorus, thanks largely to J-Dogg’s drumming. Whilst the crowd had probably doubled by mid-set, unfortunately it still wasn’t large enough for me to do this without looking like that drunk guy that thinks it’s acceptable to dance by himself. These tracks were performed brilliantly live, and I was captivated not only by their unique sound, but the fast paced and energetic nature of the set.

There was plenty of funny banter between Doman and J-Dogg in between tracks, and you could tell that these guys were just two mates having a ball playing their music for no other reason than to enjoy themselves. This was half the band’s charm, in that they were not taking themselves too seriously, yet at the same time managing to dedicate all their energy into putting on a good show.

At one stage in the night one of the drunker crowd members yelled out, “Aren’t you the guys that play basketball at Coburg?” to which the band replied, “Yeah that’s us. We never get recognised as being the guys from the band, but the guys that play E-grade basketball…” Hopefully this trend does not continue, as this band deserves a whole lot of recognition for what they do… plus a gang of babin’ young groupies.

I got the chance to speak to the two lads after the gig, and they are genuinely funny, chilled out dudes who clearly have a lot more ability than their humble ways would have you believe. With a powerful sound, a bag of well-written tracks, an energetic live set and a great attitude, I can see the Ross de Chene Hurricanes taking it to the next level if they choose to. So go see these guys live, have a few beers and let the de Chene’s rock away your troubles and send you into a happy state of oblivion.

Scale of Awesomeness Rating: Damn these guys are tight!
(see the rating scale here)

Upcoming gigs:

24 Nov at The Exchange Hotel, 28 Napier Street, Footscray, VIC with The In and Dated

Facebook/Myspace/Soundcloud links:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ross-de-Chene-Hurricanes/118339054857?sk=app_178091127385

http://www.myspace.com/rossdechenehurricanes/music

http://soundcloud.com/rossdechenehurricanes 

Band: The Living Eyes
Date: 28/10/11
Venue: 303, 303 High St, Northcote VIC

Reviewer: Tommy

- Photo’s by AUSSKY Photography

Heading up to Northcote for the The Living Eyes EP launch in the typical Melbourne “cold-when-it-was-supposed-to-be-warm” weather, I was in need of a good show to spark me up. However, considering these boys made the trip up the freeway from their home in Geelong, I could hardly complain. Unearthed high finalists from 2010 – a competition that has shown age is no barrier to making great music – I knew it was going to be worth the trip.

The red, dark-lit backroom of the 303 provided the atmosphere for the gig and suited their garage sound. However, lined by couches, the venue sent the impression of a laid-back affair, something that the show was not, thanks mostly to the energy of singer, Dylan Murray. A mix of 60′s style riffs and a punk-like frenetic, The Living Eyes have a sound well suited to a bangin’ live performance. Their live sound is raw, which may be in part due to the sound provided by the 303, but was not far from the sound of their recorded demos, which sound all the better for their rough edges (see links below to have a listen).

A heavy intro set the tone for the gig, instantly dragging people to their feet. The first track ‘Nosediving’ had a wicked intro, which led to a track that I could only describe as an indie rock sound with a death metal scream by Murray. With this being my first time seeing them live, I couldn’t be entirely sure that this wasn’t perhaps partly due to the sound provided; but it worked well enough.

With the first couple songs getting everyone going, most people were up and about, but it was Murray still showing the way it should be done jumping around on stage. (I’m) On The Run really got me into their sound, with its catchy guitar lines and catch-cry chorus, it’s a song you would be happy to have stuck in your head on a trip down the highway.

The next track moved the energy up again with an intensity not dissimilar to that of The Hives, making even the relatively subdued crowd start to shuffle their feet towards the edge of a breakout. The next track kept the tempo going and had a great little guitar solo, leading into their Unearthed High single, ‘Livin’ which seemed to be the crowd favourite, and was performed well live.

The rest of the show kept the intensity high with some great guitar work and some vicious drumming from the man on the kit, Nick Hill (as shown below). The final song was a great finish to a show, which was energetic from the very beginning. Unfortunately I missed the name of the song, but it left me wanting more, something every live show should strive to instill upon a music going punter.

- Photo’s by AUSSKY Photography

Now for the rating… I’m being a bit tight by only giving these boys a ‘Got potential to be sick’ but that’s only because I know these boys are young and have so much time to get even tighter on stage. Unfortunately for these guys, the mellow and limited crowd also didn’t favour the band, as the show lacked the atmosphere that transforms a great live show into an unbelievable one.

I will definitely be looking out for the next show around town from these boys, and would highly recommend it to you mofo’s too.

Scale of Awesomeness Rating: Got potential to be sick
(see the rating scale here)

Upcoming gigs:

19 Nov at Gasometer, 484 Smith St, Collingwood, VIC, with Ross De Chene Hurricanes and Tiny Migrants
26 Dec at The National Hotel (The Nash), Geelong, VIC

Facebook/Myspace/Unearthed links:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Living-Eyes/124907317537479?sk=app_178091127385

http://www.myspace.com/thelivineyes

http://www.triplejunearthed.com/Artists/View.aspx?artistid=36780

Band: Facetime
Date: 13/10/11
Venue: Lyrebird Lounge, 61 Glen Eira Rd, Ripponlea, VIC

Reviewer: Mark

(Sorry about the shitty iPhone pic, these dudes are much better looking in hi-def – professional photographer coming soon…)

I heard about these guys through my bro, who knew a couple of the band members. So I popped into the Lyrebird Lounge in Ripponlea on a Thursday night to see if they were any good. Apparently they are pretty new on the scene, having been together for only a few months.

The Lyrebird Lounge is a real intimate venue, holding about 30 or so inside and it was pretty packed for the set. It seemed like everyone in the place knew everyone else, so I sat there drinking my pint by myself like a lonely gimp (thanks for not showing up Tommy). There were 6 dudes crammed on the tiny stage, with 3 guitarists, a bassist, the lead singer bashin’ on a tambourine and drummer. At first I thought with 3 guitarists things could get pretty sloppy, but they kept it tight and it worked pretty well.

These guys mostly play a slow rock style, with long drawn out vocals and loud guitars with a lot of overdrive. Everyone except the bassist and drummer had a shot at singing a song, which was good, but the lead singer was definitely the man with the skills. I really liked the drummer who every now and then would build up to a faster tempo, when the boys really started rockin’. I didn’t catch the name of the song but one of their originals really impressed me with the singer putting in some solid screaming vocals and the rest of the band showed that they could rock out. This was sick and I really wanted to see more of it as they did it really well, and I could tell they were enjoying it as well. This would have been even better in a larger venue, as the boys play their music loud, and in the small venue my ears may have bled a little.

There was a cover of Neil Young’s epic track, “Down by the River” which is a sick song and these guys did it justice by spicing it up with their own rendition, speeding it up every now and then and throwing one of their mates on stage with a harmonica for a couple solo’s.

The crowd started to die down a bit as the set went on, maybe cos it was getting late (was a school night for the kids), cos it was pretty loud or cos they needed to go out the back for a rollie. The style of music isn’t the type where you can sing along or get up and dance or mosh, but the crowd was enjoying it and they got a solid reaction from everyone in the joint after every song.

These dudes clearly had some talent (solo’s by the lead guitarist and the drummer were my highlights of the night – another part of the set that I would have really enjoyed seeing more of), and they have a lot of potential as a band. I would love to see these guys again in a few months time when they have been at it a while longer, and hopefully throw in some more fast-paced, rocking tracks, and on a bigger stage where they can really let loose. This is a band to watch going forward.

Scale of Awesomeness Rating: Got potential to be sick
(see the rating scale here)

Upcoming gigs:

1 Nov at Lyrebird Lounge, Ripponlea, VIC
24 Dec at The National Hotel (The Nash), Geelong, VIC, supporting Luke Legs
1 Jan at The Nash with King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard & The Frowning Clouds

Soundcloud/Facebook links (no Myspace):

http://soundcloud.com/facetime
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Facetime/219297001421364

Band: The Laughing Leaves
Date: 7/10/11
Venue: Laundry Bar, 48-50 Johnston St, Fitzroy

Reviewer: Mark

I didn’t even know these guys were playing this gig to be honest. I rolled into Laundry Bar when some fashion party thing was on and as soon as I walked upstairs I saw these four young dudes onstage rockin’ out some indie surf rock tunes. This style of music is obviously pretty cool right now and I’m a big fan of it, but god damn these guys fuckin’ killed it… in a good way.

I didn’t take my eyes off the stage the whole time they played. Their original tunes had the catchiness of cool 1960’s surf pop, fused with more modern rock styles, which created a sound that I was really into as soon as I heard it. Their look and ‘don’t really give a fuck, we’re just here to party’ attitude suited their style of music perfectly. With the lead guitarist throwing his guitar on the ground and the drummer beating the shit out of the drums up the back, it was one of those gigs that makes you wanna quit your job, start a band and drink beers everyday. Their energy was contagious and you couldn’t help but feel happy watching these mad dogs.

The set was ended with a pretty cool, scrappy cover of The Bees version of Os Mutantes’ track “A Minha Menina” (you’ll know the track once you hear it ).

It’s an awesome track that sums up the feel good nature of the Leaves summertime style.

Now, apart from 2 young babes dancing up the front and a few people scattered about with their eyes glued to the stage, the crowd clearly wasn’t digging it as much as I was. But, it was a fashion party, so they either don’t know what cool music is, or didn’t want to look like ‘rowdy hooligans’ in front of their model friends by clapping and hollering after their songs (no offense to models… cos they’re babes). But the fact that these guys rocked out pretty hard despite only me and 4 other people in the joint clapping after each song is a massive credit to them, as they didn’t need the crowd to energise them, they just did their thing.

This was the band that made me think, “There isn’t really anyone out there doing reviews of live gigs of unsigned acts, and people need to know about bands like this!” So at the time I wasn’t standing there analysing their musical abilities or whatever, but this was the band that made me want to spread the word about these dudes, and find other bands like this to share with my music loving Melbourne bro’s and hoe’s.

Because I only got to see about ¾ of the set, I can’t properly assess the whole performance, which is the only thing holding me back from giving them the highly coveted and not so highly recognised rating of “You gotta see these cats right now!” So for now they get “Damn these guys are tight!”, but I will definitely be checking these guys out again real soon.

Scale of Awesomeness Rating: Damn these guys are tight!

Upcoming gigs:

31st Oct at THE KO-OP Third Annual Halloween Party, South Yarra, VIC

5th Nov supporting The Vasco Era, Torquay, VIC

14th Nov at Sydney, NSW

Soundcloud/Myspace links: (to be honest their recorded tracks don’t do their live show that much justice)
www.soundcloud.com/thelaughingleaves
http://www.myspace.com/thelaughingleaves