The Tremors, The Holy Soul,The Grates @ Spectrum,18/09/04

Sat 16th Oct, 2004 in Gig Reviews

“Let’s get sleazy!” Like the first words out of lead singer Geoff Corbett’s mouth, there is something so wrong and yet so VERY right about the Tremors. They are sleazy, sweaty and sexy.

Their current song Bad Teenage Poetry sums up much of the great things about this band – they are fun, cheeky and combine great lyrics with some down and dirty rock. Corbett is like some kind of naughty cabaret performer, complete with suggestive dancing, bawdy jokes at the expense of everyone present, and shiny white shoes. And while Corbett is a great front man, it is the other members of this ensemble turn the Tremors into a truly exciting band to watch. Eleanor Logan (also of Gazoonga Attack) multi-tasks, playing keys, the trumpet, the Pokemon spinning top and singing, whilst the ‘skinniest man in rock’ Cec Condon beats the drums like some kind of primitive warrior. The foursome is completed with the fine guitar styling of Dan Baebler, rounding off a top line-up. The Tremors are fun with a capital F and put on a really great live show. The name of their first album – Cash Up Front, No Kissing – really says it all, because like the prostitutes that they have named the album after, the Tremors will make you move your body until you are completely rooted.

Supporting the Tremors were their label-mates the Grates, and the Holy Soul. The Grates are exactly what their name suggests – freakin’ awesome! I was absolutely blown away by this excellent little three-piece from sunny Brisvegas. Lead singer Patience bounces around the stage with all the enthusiasm of a puppy waiting for a walk (despite her claims of a hangover). She shimmies and moves and sings in a way that demands your attention – and she gets it. I found it hard to drag my eyes away from this band – all of whom seem to be having a great time up on stage. The Grates have experienced a hint of success with their song Trampoline (Use your bed like a trampoline, I said – higher, higher), but I think that this is a band that we will be hearing a lot more from in the coming few years. They are quirky, cute and energetic, with music that you feel compelled to move to. Trampoline is pretty typical of that music – fun, whimsical and inventive. Throughout the gig, I found myself grinning stupidly at the performance, and I cannot wait to have the chance to see these Brisbanites shaking their groove things again.

Having come from the heights of fun with the Grates, the Holy Soul were a slight shock to the system. Sounding a lot like Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds, the Holy Soul were a very different band – and one that I am not entirely sure suited the night. Although I can not fault their sound, the band lacked the charisma and stage presence – maybe even just the X factor – that both the Grates and the Tremors had. The Holy Soul still got my toes tapping, and they had a few people up and dancing, but they just seemed to be missing that extra element of zing that was so very appealing in the other bands on the night. Having said that, I would love to see this band again in a different setting, as I am sure that I would like them a lot more if it wasn’t for the calibre of their company.

Spectrum is a great location for rock and/or roll, and tonight certainly delivered that. The Tremors and the Grates left me wanting more, and while the Holy Soul didn’t quite grab me, the overall impression of the night was absolutely tops! Still near the start of their national tour, the Tremors and Grates are probably coming to a city near you – and when they do, I would recommend you throw on your best pair of dancing shoes (and aviator sunnies – trust me on this one) and get along to see them.