Mile End, Bone, These ShipWrecks, Magic Window @Hydey

Sat 26th Jul, 2008 in Gig Reviews

What better way to celebrate a rugby victory and the conclusion of a week-long Pope visit than with a night of garage rock at the Hydey? It seemed many shared this sentiment, with a good crowd showing up despite temperamental July weather. Like the pilgrims who flocked to Sydney, these people were about to experience something profound. There would be no bread, robes or wine though; Just beer, whammy bars and delay pedals.

Three piece, Magic Window opened the sermon with their dirty brand of bass driven indie rock. One of the most melodic bands of the evening, they were impressively tight. The Katie O style howl of lead singer/bassist Amber Gempton gave clarity to the band’s driving instrumentation. Whether it’s the Velma-esque stylings of Gempton, or the handclaps of keyboard player/percussionist James Beck there is something deliciously quirky about this band. Grounded, fast and fresh, Magic Window are looking out onto a promising future should they continue to develop.

The next to the lectern were epic five-piece These Ship Wrecks. Unimpressed by the lounge’s décor, the band brought with them a statue that would have looked at home in a Buddhist temple … and a large stick. These Ship Wrecks started strongly, the drone and crescendos of their opener creating a grandiose atmosphere. The swirling organ and guitars saw the entire crowd rocking on their feet. After the third song, however, this audio trip had not so much turned bad, rather it hadn’t really gone anywhere. While the band’s organic swells and builds had converted many, a combination of perplexing vocals and overly long songs took away from their performance. The band’s sound is creditably distinctive and there hasn’t been such musicianship with a candlestick since Disney’s Beauty and the Beast.

Aggressive and cutting from the start, Bone didn’t hold back. Front man Finkelstien was easily one of the most talented musicians of the gig. His explosive Jack White style vocals matched the aggression and drive of his perfectly executed licks. Combined with intricate bass lines and impeccable drumming, it’s hard to fault their performance. Bone looked comfortable on stage and gained good response from the audience. They didn’t hide behind excessive reverb and indulgent guitar drones, opting instead for a tighter and more accessible sound.

Closers, Mile End came to the stage barefoot and played a great show. While at times slurred and a little clunky, Mile End’s Radiohead style sound was well received by the crowd. Front man Dean Anthonisz chugged well-deserved beer straight from the pitcher in between wowing the crowd with swirling tunes like EP title track Rumble Fish. Maybe a result of over refreshing before the show Anthonisz’ vocals were at times a little over-slurred. However, overall the band justified the hype that is beginning to build around their name and demonstrated why people should look forward to a studio release later in the year.
As 1 o’clock ticked over, the Mass was concluded. The Kingdom had been reached and Garage Rock had been exhausted. Praised be its name.

See Timdavis’ photos HERE