To check out all the photos from Future Is Now, click HERE.
The Gaelic Theatre in Surry Hills put on an all-ages show, Future is Now, on Easter Thursday to showcase some of the best young talent in Australia. Whilst I unfortunately missed the first two bands, I can’t imagine anything going wrong with newly formed and already signed electro duo WOW and the fierce and irresistibly fun Lions at Your Door warming up the crowd. Before launching into my review of the bands, I have to note that the best thing about Future is Now was the crowd. All-ages shows sometimes slip into that uncomfortable realm of screaming fan girls/boys who are more excited about having their photo taken than enjoying the music, but there didn’t seem to be any of that on Thursday night. Perhaps the new generation of Australian musicians is lucky enough to be spared such behaviour.
The Jezabels, who have roots in Byron Bay and in the study of science, hit the stage around 9.30pm. The crowd seemed in a mellow mood, an appropriate reaction to the dreamy sounds of this four-piece. Each band member seemed to be in their own world whilst performing, but their lack of direct connection with the audience worked to their advantage, suiting the sound of their songs: head-swaying, detached, meaningful pop. Unfortunately the band was left competing with the noise of conversations on the floor above them for most of their set.
The Wahas didn’t have any such problems. Their onslaught of noise drew everyone in to their performance, despite the pedals of the lead guitar not functioning. Looking sharp in tailored shirts and pointy shoes with big hair, they almost resembled The Horrors, who they’ve played with in the past. On the song Anne Frankenstein, the influence is evident. But they incorporate a variety of sounds and styles, ranging from screaming to make ears bleed in Mother in Drag to making it impossible to resist dancing during Chorus Girl and adding an overall shoe-gaze influence…all infected with tambourines and glitter.
The crowd dispersed by the time Melbourne band Tic Toc Tokyo, who were launching their EP Artefacts, started playing. They played a fast-paced and energetic set, with drummer Nic’s manic singing adding an interesting flavour to the songs. The hyperactive smoke machines and strobe lights were enough to get anyone dancing, but unfortunately they played to a rather small audience. Hopefully the EP sales went well, though.
It was midnight by the time the headliners of the night, Young & Restless, hit the stage. The audience was obviously excited, especially a small group of very eager fans who crowded around the front of the stage and later sang along to every song, even shouting into the microphone when necessary. However, the novelty of the opening and best known song Kapow! wore off quickly and the remaining half hour or so of the set sounded like a very long continuation of the same song. The repetitive sound and stage antics soon grew tiring. Singer Karina’s outfit – Lovefoxxx meets Karen O – seemed to draw more attention, with someone in the audience even begging to keep her shirt. Some variety in sound and more focus on the other band members would have made their set much more interesting.
Overall, Future is Now kept the audience entertained for hours, showcasing a variety of different sounds and musical styles in Australian music today – a bit of something for everyone. The night was a good reminder that Australian bands just keep getting better – and thankfully a Purple Sneakers after-party followed for the over-18s in the crowd.
