Live Review: The Herd, Sietta, The Governor Hindmarsh, 27/08/2011

I applaud The Herd. Not only, as a collective, have they provided us with four successful albums and now a fifth in Future Shade, but they have also nurtured many acts into success through their Elefant Traks label. In amongst their own body of work has come solo projects from basically all of the eight members that form the band; the work of Urthboy, Ozi Batla, Unkle Ho, and Jane Tyrrell’s contribution to Newcastle acoustic troupe Firekites provides a snapshot of the hard work and commitment to the music industry that these guys have delivered. Their political nature and controversial lyricism has further defined their 10-year career, allowing them to reach audiences broader than simply the Australian hip-hop community. And yet they achieve this with such a great sense of honesty and modesty, two attributes that can be hard to find in a genre dominated by big egos and self-indulgence.

My gratitude further extends to their support act, Sietta, of whom Elefant Traks recently signed. The Darwin-via-Adelaide two-piece has received strong recognition for its debut release The Seventh Passenger, culminating in a nationwide support slot with their Sydney label mates. A successful frame of mind usually brings about confidence in any field, and from the first moments of these guys taking to The Gov stage, Sietta were completely at home. A strong performance was merely a fait accompli. Along with two backing singers, lead vocalist Caiti Baker is bold, completely soulful, and full of the elements that made her influences Etta James and Aretha Franklin great. Her flow is smooth, and complements the musical stylings of her compatriot James Mangohig, who has the production and soundscape side of things covered. These soundscapes are eclectic, ranging from funk and soul, to much deeper electronic and bass sounds, whilst even dabbling in amongst the reggae and dub creations that appear to be sweeping the world at present. This is most likely the reason they will go onto great success; their variation of sounds will hold them in good stead going forth into further recordings and tours. And with a breakout song as attractive as current hit What Am I Supposed To Do, the future looks bright for this talented duo.

You can feel the anticipation throughout The Gov as The Herd prepare to take the stage. And when they do, they begin an hour-and-a-half onslaught of pure, no holds barred music. Opener 20/20 is the perfect way to kick off the set, demonstrating the 8-piece at their absolute best both musically and lyrically. The set-up is spellbinding for a hip-hop crew; there are turntables, keyboards, electric and bass guitars, piano accordions, oh, and some MC’s for good measure. Most often, each member takes a turn at assisting the group’s sound with any instrument they can get their hands on. Tracks from their new album demonstrate the progression this group has made over the course of their 10-year history. Jane Tyrrell-penned Grandma’s Song is indicative of their maturity, while the chorus in Spin Cycle is hard to avoid, portraying the urgency of the band’s messages.

Recent singles The Sum of It All and Signs of Life are played to perfection. There’s something about Signs of Life that really hooks you in; there is a slightly off-time feel to it, slowly flowing along, then completely over-emphasised in its culminating fade-out. Popular track from previous album Summerland, The King Is Dead, gets a worthy spin before the band leave the stage, only to return for an encore that largely pleased the sold-out Gov crowd. The group’s brilliant cover of Redgum’s I Was Only 19, possibly the most successful Australian cover of recent time in terms of not only musicianship but also cultural significance, was indeed an emotional performance. Then finally, the crowd was rewarded with a version of the band’s first ever single Scallops, to which they responded with word-for-word sing-a-longs.

My burning after-thought from tonight’s gig was that Australian hip-hop, and in a broader sense, the Australian music industry is a far brighter scene with The Herd around. Their influence on young musicians in the genre has provided it with a level of respectability that can sometimes be lost in amongst the narrow-mindedness of many urban artists in the Australian music landscape. If the band did happen to walk away from the business tomorrow, they would leave the Australian independent in a far better place than they found it in. A capable pair of hands they have brought to us, along with cultural sense, political advocacy, moral conscience, and fantastic music to boot. They still set the pace amidst their contemporaries in all areas, and seem as though they may do so for some time to come.

Live Review: Darwin Deez, The Salvadors, East End Villains, The Gov, 3/5/2011

This show tonight was a hipster’s paradise, or perhaps a perfect outlet for those who wouldn’t usually let their inner hipster out to attempt to do so. What most surprised me about this special Groovin The Moo sideshow, of which Adelaide has been provided a number of this month, was the immense of young screaming girls after the blood of Darwin Smith, flamboyant lead singer of headline act Darwin Deez. Given that this was an all ages show there were certainly grounds for this to occur, but for some reason I never imagined Smith to be the next teenage icon of the 21^st century. He comes across as more of an indie nonchalant, and along with his equally boisterous band, creates a vibrancy that cannot be ignored. And with the screaming fans hanging on his every word, it made for a fantastic atmosphere for a Tuesday night at The Gov.

As the night warmed up, East End Villains had already begun winning over new fans with their tribal-infused brand of indie kraut-rock. Their music is genuinely pulsating, and you get the feeling these guys are onto brighter days in the future. Although there was only a small crowd gathered early on, many started to flow towards the stage to get a glimpse of the 5-piece in action. It is a very engaging live show they provide, with the second drum kit adorning the front of stage adding an extra slice of intensity to the band’s sonic presence. Having seen them a few times last year it appears as though East End Villains have improved their sound markedly, showing that they are ready to take the next step in their careers. The support slot for an act like Darwin Deez surely does their cause no harm.

The Salvadors were up next and they put on a fantastic show, something which is expected of them amongst many of us Adelaide gig-goers these days. The guys were on a hiatus specifically to record the follow up to their successful debut EP, however stated they could not pass up the opportunity to support the formidable New Yorkers on their Australian jaunt. As the crowd slowly made their way in from the beer garden to fill the room, the Adelaideans began to kick start the party atmosphere and proved their wares with a set list that comprised tracks from their past, present, and some newer ones we are likely to hear more of in the future. Another band that generated some new fans tonight and brought about much hipster shuffling from the young ‘uns.

One prominent aspect of Darwin Deez’s set was not in fact the set itself. I have never witnessed a band with the prominence of these guys actually set up their own gear on stage without a single roadie. It was quite impressive to see and proves that if you can do it all yourself then why wouldn’t you? Once the gear was in place and the band came back out, they never quite looked back. This was not just a live show, but a fully-blown choreographed performance. Complete with interlude contemporary dance compositions to specifically themed mixes this New York 4-piece knew what they were doing on stage. Most intriguing I guess is the fact that musically, the songs on offer overlap each other on many occasions, almost as if Smith has cottoned on to a chord pattern and wanted to multiply it over again. Sampled drums mix with live stickwork, creating the band’s unique unrefined sound, while the guitars are rough and distorted, everything they should be in a live setting.

Yet the overriding sentiment of the night was that of fun. At one stage Smith even made way for a devilish white-boy rap loosely aimed at the mixing guy who, pre-show, wondered if the band would be moving around at any time during the show; this was their time to move around. Smith takes on the rapper tag with ease, spitting rhymes with impeccable flow, and moving through the bunch of adoring fans on the floor only made the crowd’s reaction to this gallivant increase rapidly. The crowd favourites were of note; major singles 'Up In The Clouds', 'Radar Detector' and encore track 'Constellations' gained equally as much praise as album tracks 'The City', 'The Bomb Song' and 'DNA' from the rapturous patrons, with the band running through the majority of their debut album in a set that lasted just over an hour.

Darwin Deez this evening ensured that no fan was left disappointed with the purchase of their ticket. The sentiment from Smith and other band members almost guaranteed a return visit, which heaps much praise on promoters for attracting a band like Darwin Deez to Adelaide in the first place and creating a legacy for this culture in future months and years. Among a slew of other Groovin The Moo touring artists to be stopping over in Adelaide this year, this 4-piece raised the stakes amongst their travelling peers. And with such an enigmatic frontman at their peril who couldn’t forgive the guys for dismissing their inhibitions and having a little fun? Clearly no one at The Gov this evening.