There is an easy way to tell if a gig at the Hi-Fi Bar isn’t selling tickets – just look for the 2-for-1 offers on their website. While the doors opened just before eight on Wednesday night, VHS or Beta didn’t step on stage until 10:45, allowing the small crowd to get their buzz on. This also gave the crowd an excuse – even if VHS or Beta were terrible, at least they could say that the night wasn’t a total waste. While the band were far from terrible, one has to wonder if it would of been better to just spend the night at home watching a DVD.
As the clock struck twenty to ten, Brisbane-ites Yves Klein Blue opened proceedings. One part punk, one part rockabilly, one part indie pop and one part art rock, the band managed to blend all these pieces together quite nicely, even if it was a little bit chunky to begin with. Showcasing a number of tracks off the band’s new LP Draw Attention To Themselves, they made it clear that they are going to stick around the Australian music scene for a long time. Silence Is Distance channelled Arctic Monkeys but added a sweet guitar solo three quarters through. The song screams mainstream hit, but it was the rockabilly influenced track Polka which got the small crowd clapping their hands and getting down to the distorted jam that kicks in at the chorus. These guys are on the verge of blowing up – so check them out while their tickets are still cheap.
As the clock neared eleven, VHS or Beta stepped on stage playing the instrumental track Euglama. The first thing that became obvious was the talent from drummer Mark Guidry. While many electronic rock acts go with the processed drums, Guidry was an unstoppable force behind the kit, smashing cymbals and keeping up with fast tempo tracks without breaking a sweat. The man on lead guitar, Craig Pfunder almost seemed a tad freaked out that this was the first show on the band’s world tour, and when he announced that he was upset that his friends from Cut Copy couldn’t be at the Hi-Fi Bar, the crowd “awwwwed” in unison. Pfunder playing style was fascinating to watch, he had his foot on the effects pedal as if he was playing a car racing video game for the majority of the set and watching his right hand move from the neck to the pickups during Heaven made for interesting viewing. The only unfortunate thing about their set was the order of the set list. While many of the small crowd stood silently during tracks like Bring On The Comets, when the band came out and performed Can’t Believe A Single Word and Night On Fire as an encore they managed to get the majority of the crowd moving, only for the house lights to come up! VHS or Beta’s performance as musicians was solid, but the band needs some more danceable material along with a re-ordered set list. At the end of the day, it would have just been just as good to stay home in front of the heater and watch some television.
