This was a night of near things. Across town at the ‘G the challengers to the premiership flag were gallant but defeated by their own wayward kicking; while at the Northcote Social Children Collide’s claim as genuine contenders also fell slightly short, let down by technical errors.
Freshly returned from an LA recording studio there’s a murmur of buzz around Children Collide. Plenty of the hype is centred around the name Dave Sardy – their producer. Having recorded hit debut albums for Aussie rockers Jet and the Vines there’s a belief – perhaps an expectation – that he can again guide an Aussie act to first up success.
Following a typically ludicrous set from Spod, who hammered out his self-proclaimed modern classics with confetti and streamer strewn arrogance, Children Collide took the stage. Their opening track showed glimmers of Vines-esque yowling rock, but with a scramble of techies fiddling with the bass amp and the disgruntled expression on bassplayer Heath’s face it was all too clear that something was very wrong. Johnny fumed ‘Ever met a man with no balls? That’s what we sound like without bass’. Heath was quickly dubbed the band’s scrotum, before Johnny dismissively turned his mic to the audience leaving it to a drunken front row punter to provide the entertainment. After calling on his mates Napoleon and Johnny to help him the deeply messed up punter inexplicably launched into bastardised version of Rammstein’s Du Hast, with Johnny and drummer Ryan Caesar joining in the moment of madness.
Thankfully the gear issues were finally resolved and the comedy cameo stylings of ‘drunk man’ were soon over, allowing the band to get back to the business of launching their new single, Social Currency. With the testicular fortitude of Heath stirring baselines returned the contenders began to make a genuine claim to brilliance. Though there were still a few issues to sort , with Ryan’s frustration creeping in as he made repeated calls for more guitar and bass in his foldback speakers – prompting at least one wag to call for more Brylcreem for the slickly groomed drummer. But his work with the sticks was as polished as his hair and things punched along with a growing confidence as the early technical issues were left behind. And when Collide hit their straps, the straps stay down.
Despite Social Currency’s galloping bass and urgent pacing; the standout of the Collide set is their older single We Are Amphibious with its ripping guitar and fist in the air break down and lyrics. They closed their set with a tearing instrumental that saw Johnny flailing his guitar like a man truly possessed and departed without an encore. They didn’t quite get over the line, but there’s no doubt they’ll be serious premiership contenders.
