Local act Yeo & The Fresh Goods opened tonight’s proceedings quite nicely, performing their style of funk-ridden pop-rock with gracious charisma and skill. Recorded, Yeo sounds a bit too clean and slick to stand out from the raft of local artists gigging around town at the moment, but in the raw he and his four-piece their music with an edgier hue. This contrast in sound adds a much more enjoyable aspect to their songs in the live arena, and after years of making music on his own, with his group and as part of collaborations, Yeo seems to have finally found his voice – “voice” in the figurative sense, of course – this boy has always been able to sing. One part Prince, one part Phoenix, and during the closing song Why World Wars Happen, one part My Disco … that bass line was intense! This funky quartet had the floorboards shaking for the most part, proving themselves as a very fun, talented live act who established a very carefree, danceable vibe within The Troubadour, providing a perfect segue to the next act.
A quick change between sets and The Seabellies dived headlong into their suite of utterly innocent tunes and exuded an innocuous charm throughout. Ever on the periphery of wide-scale notoriety and success, the Novocastrian six-piece sung, danced and shouted right the way through their set, calling to mind elements of Architecture In Helsinki, Shout Out Louds and The Arcade Fire all rolled into one fantastical slice of melodic bliss. Having only been existence for only just over two years now, the group perform their songs just as perfectly as any more seasoned act would, with their new single Prairie standing out as a true gem in their collective musical crown. From their amazing opening set at V Festival 2007, to the praise and success for their remarkable track Heart Heart Heart Out and now throughout various headlining and support slots across the nation, this is one band that will surely take over this country’s (and possibly many other nations’) heart soon.
A very respectably-sized crowd had been gathering inside The Troubadour for the past two hours, and by the time headliners The Paper Scissors took stage, the venue was quite full – a pleasant surprise given the lack of punters earlier on in the evening. The peppy rock quartet exude energy and a certain Modest Mouse style in both their stage presence and their tunes, which is a great combination in most people’s books. Previous performances from these Sydneysiders have left this reviewer with mixed expectations – sometimes they perform amazingly, and sometimes they seem a bit lacklustre – so this gig would ultimately sway my opinion on this group. Luckily this set lived up to the former expectation, with the acoustics of the cosily confined Troubadour suiting the sound of the group nicely, as the band were perfectly on song throughout. Obvious favourite We Don’t Walk was performed with precision and had most in the crowd jiving along, while the cover of Hall & Oates’ I Can’t Go For That (No Can Do) was just as grooveable. The Troubadour yet again provided a happy-go-lucky Thursday night crowd with a reason to smile (and dance), and helped to establish all three of tonight’s acts as amazingly talented, fun bands which deserve your full attention. It was well worth the eyes drooping out of my head at work the next morning.
