In January this year, the last time NYPC hit Sydney, they didn’t quite sell out the Enmore Theatre. The intimate venue of Oxford Art Factory promised a closer and more immediate experience, but you can imagine the band might have been a little disappointed going from the spacious and historic Enmore Theatre to the underground OAF. Nevertheless, the venue was packed and steamy with bright young things, keen to see NYPC and Young Lovers.
Melbornites Young Lovers were very tight, playing their strong and sweet tunes. Their music is confident and strong. The guitar riffs are engaging. All their songs are similar to the Strokes brand of rock and roll, but lacking a little in hooks.
The lead singer plays a synthesiser, but it slides into the arrangement to fatten up the sound. Bassist Rachael Jakubenco was grappling with her bass which towered above her head, but managed the fast riffs with dexterity. Luke Carlson is a certain and engaging frontman, leading the songs. Their vocal harmonies worked really well in the small venue, and at several points the entire audience put down their drinks and perked their ears up to watch them perform.
New Young Pony Club crowded onto the small stage, the five of them and their iridescent backdrop. Lead singer Tabitha has recently cropped her curly dark hair in favour of a spiky blond do, a la Agness Deyn. It shows her fun, funky personality and she danced over the stage all night. All the members of NYPC are ridiculously good looking. You generally have to check their promo pictures twice because they look more like editorial layouts for uber-hip fashion designers than a band poster.
The energy and enthusiasm of the band live bring to life their songs which fall a little flat on their album, Fantastic Playroom. Grey is one tune especially which drags a little in the recording, but it a perfectly danceable hit played live. It was played third in their set. Their hit, Ice Cream, came mid-way through the show, which was a shame because most people were expecting it towards the end. The Bomb got everyone dancing, especially around the line “Don’t speak cos your mind is amazing”.
The rest of New Young Pony Club’s poppy, dancey catalogue was executed with a punk attitude from Tabitha, and the arrangements were full and lush. The salsa beat of Hiding on the Staircase was executed perfectly and filled the entire room. They worked the small room really well, chatting to the front row, asking for a fan who saw them at the V Festival last year who scored a piece of fruit to the face. Tabitha apologised again, and then rolled into the next song.
Two unknown songs were thrown into the mix. These could be previews from the sophomore album, currently under construction. They passed with little comment from the band, and there really wasn’t a hook to match, “I can give you want”. They finished promptly with The Get Go and vacated quickly. It was an enjoyable performance, however it didn’t surpass any past shows and their set is in need of some fresh tunes.
