Small Ballroom, Islington
Saturday August 24, 2013 :
As I walked into the Gateway Hotel on Saturday night, I wasn’t expecting to find the packed karaoke bar and shimmering queens that I came across. It wasn’t until I walked a little further that I realised I was in the right place, as the brand new music venue The Small Ballroom revealed itself. It sure is small, however the atmosphere allows for an intimate performance.
Two-man Newcastle band, The Letter Tellers, were tearing up the stage with a surprisingly big sound for a single guitar and drum set up. Wearing a notable Kooks T-shirt, front man Tim Hill delivered an engaging performance with his Black Keys influenced vocals and gawky dance moves. Unfortunately time constraints saw the duo kicked off to make way for Sydney band, Evan And The Brave. Charming vocalist Daniel Mifsud was a stand out with his bright red button up and relaxed attitude. Although their thick harmonies and catchy indie hooks were a little familiar, I can’t deny they put on a fun show.
As petite Little Scout vocalist Melissa Tickle steps onto the stage she can’t help but giggle at the condom balloon being tossed about by the crowd, giving the ‘balloon’ a few jabs before getting down to business. A little bit intrigued as to what was going to come out of her tiny frame, the crowd calmed as she sang her first notes. All eyes were fixed on Tickle as her dreamy yet edgy persona mesmerized the crowd with a tone similar to Emma Louise and Sarah Blasko. They portrayed real originality within their indie pop melodies and a genuine love for their craft. Mid way through, the five-piece start to perform a cover of ‘Bette Davis Eyes’ much to the crowd’s delight. With my eyes closed I could have sworn it was Kim Carnes with a clear throat. At the end of their set they humbly announced the release of their new album, Are You Life, before heading into the bar area to personally hand out free tickets.
I must admit, I didn’t have high expectations for Hungry Kids Of Hungary but when they came out and started smashing those harmonies my expectations were blown out of the water. Both Kane Mazlin and Dean McGrath conveyed strong performances and managed to engage the crowd from start to finish. When they broke out with ‘Wristwatch’ the crowd’s attitude instantly lifted, and didn’t fall once. With Alex Bennison accompanying the four-piece on guitar, they produced a really tight sound with all five of them singing harmonies at different stages.
Most songs in the set were from their previous album, Escapades, with only a few from recent album, You’re A Shadow, including crowd pleaser ‘Sharp Shooter’. McGrath and Mazlin are great showman, as their animated stage presence just oozes with cool. They’re just downright enjoyable to watch. The last half of their set was full of up-tempo ‘party’ songs, with drummer Ryan Starthie never missing a beat. Bass player Ben Dalton was a little hidden in behind Bennison but we sure could hear him and his little bass licks.
‘China Will Wait’ has always reminded me of Australian band, Thirsty Merc, even Mazlin’s vocals are comparable to Rai Thistlethwayte in many instances. ‘Coming Around’ and ‘Scattered Diamonds’ were natural winners as the crowd went mental, still throwing around their ‘balloon’ and singing along to their favourites. Then for their very last song, McGrath called long time friend Melissa Tickle back up onto the stage to assist in performing a cover of ‘The Chain’ by Fleetwood Mac. Such a flawless cover, rich in harmonies and fat driving rhythms; a perfect way to end their set.
Reviewer: Louie Smith
Photographer: Stephanie de Vries
Unfortunately our photographer’s camera failed on her prior to HKOH arrived on stage. Newcastle photographer, Naomi Frost, has kindly allowed us to link to her images on her blog. LITTLE SCOUT – EVAN AND THE BRAVE – HUNGRY KIDS OF HUNGARY