Newcastle Panthers
Friday March 15, 2013 :
If Regular John’s sound could be described succinctly, combine the erratic and repeating riffs of Children Collide’s early albums and the experimental, airy atmosphere that Animal Collective create. Their newer songs feature guitar distortion and reverb, matched visually by the members quirky dancing and jumping about. The audience took it in soothingly and silently.
Birds of Tokyo is one band who’s sound has significantly evolved throughout the course of their existence. Day One and Universes were both sterling examples of heavier Australian alternative rock and in 2010, their self-titled took a prettier, poppier turn leading with ‘Plans’. In the March Fires tour, Ian Kenny took this new indie sound and laced the entire setlist with it. ‘This Fire’ was played early on, to the delight of the crowd who swayed along in unison while Kenny waved his arms about triumphantly like an airplane. ‘Wild Eyed Boy’ was the first early song played, and the audience’s demeanor changed instantly. They danced hard and fist-pumped the air like there was no tomorrow.
As the night moved on I came to the realisation that the band was certainly not loud enough – during ‘Broken Bones’ the audience’s voices drowned out Kenny’s swooning vocals. It was obvious that the older songs were being received better than features from the recent release: one of the dangers that come when a band with a loyal fan base begin to change their sound.
The softness of the guitar and vocals became apparent again during ‘The Gap’ and an indie pop version of ‘Silhouettic’, usually a much heavier song. Birds seemed to be trying to harmonise and unify their set but in some cases (this one) they overcompensated and some would say compromised the integrity of the song.
‘White Leaves’, loaded with synth and ‘The Lake’ paralleled the new album’s sound, along with crowd pleaser ‘Lanterns’, played in the encore. The song had pleasant closing-this-chapter-for-a-new-beginning kind of aspect, carrying on with the same focal point of being in it together (something we first heard on the single ‘Plans’). Kenny’s soothing voice in cohesion with his choir-audience chanting “We will light our way with our lanterns on” is certainly a sign that Birds Of Tokyo may well be taking their fans with them whilst they explore this new sound.
Reviewer: Jamie Nelson
Photographer: Pearl Davies
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