One might safely assume from a distance that last Friday night’s show at The Annandale was just another damn collection of indie darlings you would have to file under the synth genre. Indeed, that humble instrument is seeing quite the reinvention—some thought it would always be destined to begin and end in the 80s, most notably with Brian de Palma’s Scarface —however, truth be told, the three bands on offer last Friday night were more daring than darling and may actually prove that the indie-synth scene has more places to explore.
123 Amazing had the honour of starting the night’s proceedings, which usually means less than half a crowd, however as their set progressed, anyone within ear-shot were drawn in. Their sound consists of a curious blend: jangly Bloc Party guitars, synth that was at times both in the background and providing the main melody, unforgiving and extremely catchy drums courtesy of ex-Valentino Daniel ‘Juggernaut’ Stricker, a smart use of Interpol-like repetition and the prog sensibilities of Pink Floyd, Cog or Radiohead. Yes yes, name-dropping and all that, but if anything I hope that it gives you a sense of how impressed this particular reviewer was, at the start of the night no least. Their music is at times both catchy and quite haunting. The two female singers added yet another layer to their soundscape and I was sure for a moment that 123 Amazing had just shown up the other two bands to follow. Presumptuous? Not particularly—had you been drawn in by the main vocalist, this bass-guitar-slinging girl with a voice that at the same time mesmerises and shocks the system—you may have been sure it was the end of the night too.
And yet, how could I have been so naive, knowing that the Cassette Kids were on next. They clutch that newly arrived mantle of ‘indie darlings’ by the throat and I’m afraid to say it is tortured by the lead singer—much like her mic stand—and stomped under-foot by the manic to-and-fro movements of the guitarist. Daniel Schober earns his right to move so eratically; his experimentation and use of effects are very catchy, sometimes genious and not in the least gimmicky as one might expect from a line of guitar pedals acting as various synths/modulators/computers. Some very tight, dancey drumming by Jacob Read-Harber complements Daniel Deitz’s dirty Klaxons-ish bass and already you’re hooked. But when Katrina Noorbergen unleashes her vocal chords—I’m sure they’re of the same calibre as *Bjork*—you realise why these kids have just been plucked out by the Js to perform on the Sydney BDO main-stage. Their set is frantic and when a front-woman can make a crowd walk forward till they’re directly under her with only a few softly spoken words, you know they can command the stage. I mentioned all their names only because you may want to think you know them personally when they take over Sydney, then quite possibly Australia, and—if they’re in it for more than fashion deals—the world.
The night had been built up too much after these two bands. How would the Lost Valentinos survive, especially when their name had been ridiculously cool, but now sounds like they are a second rate American alt/grunge band? Well for one, you knew by the incredibly packed out Annandale who the punters were here to see. These guys (and girl—the extremely talented drummer Stella Mozgawa of Mink fame filling in for the beats) sneaked onto radios tuned into Triple J with some very good singles but seeing as their first EP felt a little weak to me, I was very curious about whether they could pull me in for a full forty five minutes. At first I was starting to doubt that hope—perhaps the expectations and the amazing two bands before had done them in—however mid-set, for me, the Lost Valentinos switched on and captivated. Their synth-laden indie-rock is made unique by sheer balance—their electronic sounds aren’t too overpowering, the guitars are Morricone-like yet beautifully restrained in parts, and the vocals at once meandering poetry, then melodic. Highlights were their most recent and arguably mainstream single ‘Rain’, a beautiful example of the description of balance I just crapped on about, and the encore: a very suitable rendition of Joy Division’s ‘Transmission’ given the new Dendy film Control and the fact they share a dark, bleak sound, only to finish the set unsurprisingly with their noir-ish/hard-boiled hit ‘Man With a Gun’, and I wouldn’t want it any other way. The Lost Valentinos eventually proved what a quality, unique band they are considering the ever-expanding pool of indie-rock outfits, yet the night for me was made by two supports that failed to settle for being footnotes. May the Sydney scene continue to provide such pleasing nights as this.
