Clothing company Are/Why? have taken a low cover charge, a ball-tearing headliner with a bat-shit crazy front man, and a healthy dose of local indie rocking talent to put on a solidly entertaining Saturday night showcase at Adelaide’s Governor Hindmarsh.
The night got under way with Secrets In Scale backing up claims of frantic rock by kicking things off with a quick-fire burst of pounding drums and some dazzling fretwork. Welding solidly rumbling and ominous rhythms to clever guitar and vocal melodies, the trio created an impressively energetic set that got a fairly good reaction from the crowd as it continued to steadily file in.
Next were proggish up and comers Soft White Machine who, in true prog style, inflicted a seemingly never ending sound check before launching into one of their sprawling and intricately crafted prog-rock masterpieces. Fop-fringed and Abe Lincoln bearded front man Karl Roberts’ deep rich vocal delivery sounds like a cross between Jarvis Cocker and Gary Numan trying to communicate something extremely quickly, while the rest of the band fill out the sound with an impressive array of vocal harmonies and musicianship. Keeping things tighter than a walnut, the ambitious swirling dynamic shifts generally succeed as the group work the arse off the loud/quiet sing/shout approach. An impressive performance from a band on the rise.
Following the complexity and grandeur of Soft White Machine came the simpler, more direct approach of Newtonheath. The first of the are/why? sponsored artists to appear, Newtonheath turned in explosive performances of tracks from last year’s Come Together and Unite. The band continue to impress with their clattering and jangling indie rock and its nice hint of catchiness, and the quality of their energetic and lively set bodes well for their upcoming east-coast mini tour.
Then there was the Tony Font Show. To make an unlikely genre collision like disco-metal work, it helps to have an energetic, charismatic, lunatic front man. Enter Lee Cowan. The Pauly Shore look-a-like arrived on stage with suit, tie and shock of curly hair in place and proceeded to go for the jugular. Banshee screams, machine gun raps and even the odd bit of conventional singing weren’t enough to restrict the front man as he went leaping, falling and crawling all over the stage in a frenzy.
Cowan’s performance was well supported by his band mates. Jack Black look-a-bit-like Matt O’Callaghan brought a righteous dose of funk to proceedings, while dread-locked drummer Phil Meakin not only kept the engine room running, but contributed the odd vocal interjection. The only group member not visibly flinging himself into the performance was guitarist Richard Clift, but the Strat wielding stoic more than compensated with an avalanche of thundering guitar riffology.
Not only are the Tony Font Show a must see live act, but they’re the kind of group that demands that you get up off your arse and join in. Outstanding.
An entertaining showcase of four more than worthy bands that proves SA has got plenty to say when it comes to quality live music.
