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Expectations for a captivating Tuesday night support act were low as Sydney-based new-comers Sparkadia, with bassist Nick Rabone visibly yawning, announced they had just flown in. This was the first trip West for the highly-touted four piece, and there appeared to be a few nerves as the band eased cautiously into their set. Thankfully their tentative start didn’t last long. JJJ-favoured single Too Much to Do was the second song in and the familiarity with which it was received appeared to settle the band and give them a shot of confidence from which they never looked back. Friendly, relaxed banter from lead vocalist and guitarist Alex Burnett (Robert Smith hair and all) helped win us over and set the tone for a performance that felt at all times genuine and never contrived. Sonically, classic 70’s melodic AM pop sensibilities filtered through a love of shimmering new wave guitars to create a sound that, though by no means revelatory, was still tough to pigeonhole.
As all good bands should do if they want to capture attention and inspire their audience, Sparkadia displayed great diversity in their song-writing. Highlights taken off their debut album Postcards included the giddy rush of likely single Jealousy, the late-night bar-room glam stomper Help Yourself and Connected. Though while not quite November Rain, the latter track could best be described as an epic ballad; veering through vaguely Hawaiian verses to melodic North West indie guitar interplay before a thrilling surf-guitar inspired conclusion. Impressive.
It was the best of times, it was the blurst worst of times…
Now, remember when you were in primary school and you used to do little athletics? Remember the lift in intensity you’d magically summon when turning for home down the last stretch after doing say, the 400m, and you heard your parents and everyone else cheering you on? In turn you ran faster and they cheered even louder and maybe even the family dog barked once or twice. Well, the live music domain works like that. Crowd feeds off band. Band feeds off crowd. It’s a delicate ecosystem, and if you were present at The Thrills you got to see it in all its natural glory.
For the first two thirds of the show the ecosystem was in disharmony. While the likes of Big Sur and Santa Cruz drew predictably large responses, the crowd was somewhat flat. This was a reflection of a band who, whether because of the cold, jetlag, or just plain Tuesday Blues, were unable to shift out of second gear. A collection of somewhat homogenous and meandering mid-tempo tunes didn’t help. Though far from bad per se, The Thrills were going through the motions and delivering a set short of, well, thrills.
But the live music ecosystem is ever-evolving and capable of tectonic shifts over the course of a night. The late-set airing of flawless pop song The Irish Keep Gate Crashing started the shift, and unexpectedly, The Sleepy Jackson completed it. The long-time touring friends were invited on stage, where Sleepy head honcho Luke Steele bestowed the honour of induction into the Amplifier hall of fame upon The Thrills, a club to which our local boys are esteemed members. Involving the crowd and injecting some much-needed spontaneity, it brought the show to life and both crowd and band acknowledged the unique moment as one to treasure. Freshly inducted, we were treated to a gorgeous communal take on Mourning Rain off the Sleepy’s debut album Lovers before One Horse Town closed the main set with an energy previously lacking. This late burst of enthusiasm earned a rousing chant for an encore, with the scattered Irish contingent making their presence known. Closing the night with a triumphant Whatever Happened to Corey Haim, we were all belatedly warmed by a little West Coast charm from the 5 boys from Dublin.
Tonight was indeed a tale of 2 cities.
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