Spectrum Now Festival, The Domain, Sydney
Friday March 11, 2016 :
There’s a unique energy confined by the pop-up tent in The Domain. Despite some dull lighting, a couple of tacky chandeliers and a certain stuffiness in the room, the feeling on the floor is joyous and vibrant.
Birds of Tokyo are a household name on the Australian music scene. Having released four studio albums and a compilation album in just under ten years, the Perth locals have seen their success grow at an exponential rate, reaching both gold and platinum sales across the country.
Undoubtedly a highly-sought after addition to The Sydney Morning Herald’s Spectrum Now Festival, the band made their swift appearance onstage early in the night. Silhouetted by an orange/white glow and an enormous cloud of smoke, they spared no time delving into the songs that, over the years, has made them famous.
The opening track, ‘Uno’, was just the start of a journey through some of the band’s biggest hits. Together with his four bandmates, frontman Ian Kenny had a powerful and pronounced stature on stage. As he roamed about the stage, his imperious gestures had an almost choreographed delivery that gave emphasis to both the words he would sing and the music his bandmates were performing.
Perhaps the most entertaining song of the evening was ‘Plans’. As arguably the most anticipated addition to the setlist, the band took it to a whole new level as they segued into Survivor’s famous track ‘Eye of the Tiger’. Leveraging an already euphoric sing-along this unexpected twist made for great entertainment as the singing reached almost-deafening levels. It was a twist that proves this band knows how to entertain.
As they continued through performances of hit songs including ‘Circles’, ‘Silhouettic’ and ‘Anchors’, the energy in the room never faltered. The ground seemed to rumble as the people jumped emphatically on every chorus. It’s a level of energy that is both hypnotising and contagious.
Complemented by excellent sound and lighting, anyone could have thought that Birds of Tokyo had reached their peak only halfway through their set. This was certainly not the case. Instead, it wasn’t until the band returned for their encore performance and began playing the opening lines of ‘Lanterns’ did they receive their most intense crowd response. Enhanced by a dominant showcasing of lights, the song was the standout of the night. It felt like every person in the room was engaged, evidenced by the sheer loudness of their voices (not to mention the backs of phone screens as they uploaded videos to social media).
With a backing of loyal fans behind them, Birds of Tokyo are a prime example of the gems that can be found in Australian music scene. With unfaltering passion, energy and a desire to entertain, the band displays an attitude that all musicians should strive for. On this night, their performance was a testament to their ongoing success as they continue their journey towards success and stature.
Setlist:
Uno
Broken Bones
Weight of the World
Plans
Armour for Liars
Commagram
Circles
I’d Go With You Anywhere
Wayside
Boy
Silhouettic
Puzzle
Trainwrecks
Anchor
Wild At Heart
Motionless
Lanterns
This Fire
Reviewer: Lilen Pautasso
Photographer: Caitlin Schokker
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