CHECK OUT THE GRAND NATIONAL PHOTO GALLERY HERE.

Fans beware, this review may induce some offence. Used to the late starts at Oxford Art, we missed Sydney band Lions At Your Door, however caught Beau Monde. Also Sydney based, Beau Monde channel Lions at Your Door…meets Cassette Kids. I’m not sure when they started, perhaps 2007? I guess you can say I’ve seen and heard it all before. It makes me ponder whether the Sydney ‘scene’ (whatever this elusive word means) may ever grow or mature out of a haze of likeness.

And so I pose this second question to you: Why is it that various eccentric female vocalists insist on wearing metallic outfits with a dash of fluoro? So, rant and condescending remarks aside, Nancy ‘Vice’ has some great pipes. And yes, the band – four girls and a guy – can play. They’re definitely competent, melodic, poppy, but unfortunately, forgettable. No doubt, there is an audience of avid fans out there, I am just not one of them.

So if this night was all about image, well, Grand National took my perception of them and pummelled it. I am a little shocked at how Grand National market themselves versus the actuality. I’m not sure what I was expecting – perhaps only the two-piece that are Grand National, Rupert Lyddon and Lawrence ‘La’ Rudd?

When Grand National hit the stage, I thought they were another support band. “No way!” I was astounded. Wow, shame on me. I feel like I’m at an RSL – if only I could hear and not see. It took Cut By The Breaks and By The Time I Get Home for me to believe this was indeed Grand National. Initially there was a real disconnect between their sound and the band. Not a synth in sight. In defense of my own ignorance, nobody told me they played as a five-piece, not dissimilar from a band washed out of Manchester circa late ‘80s/early ‘90s. Perhaps this was the point with New Order (and Depeche Mode) as influences, with the band even covering Blue Monday.

Consequently, it took the skeptic (evidently judgmental one at that) in me a while to warm to them. I felt a little cheated. But I finally felt comfortable when the acoustic was pulled out for Going To Switch The Lights On, which amalgamated into When Doves Cry. Interesting, but it worked to woo me.

I think they covered about five songs, all of which flowed off the back of their own tunes. Which is uncanny – the resemblance of some of their work. Animal sounds morphed into Sweet Harmony, “Let’s come together, Oh Yeah. Right now”. But we all sung, for we knew the lyrics, and indeed eventually we did dance.

Makes you wonder whether this band is actually worth seeing…The answer is “yes”. Vocalist Lawrence ‘La’ Rudd was charming, in an unabashed, unaffected, hard to understand (accent that is) English way. And finally they played Drink To Moving On, a ballad for my friend. We danced, and despite my earlier misgiving, I did enjoy Grand National… even if I left a bit perplexed.