As people started to stream inside to escape the rain and claim their one complimentary beer, The Touch took to the stage in a bid to bring people away from the bar and towards the dancefloor. Although they played a solid show and did display energy they did not manage to make much of an impression. Such is the dilemma with being the first band of the night, I suppose. In order for people to remember you, you have to do something astronomical and show undeniable talent; otherwise by the end of the night you’d be lucky if anyone can even recall your band’s name.
Every now and then though, you come across a band that has everything going for them and you’re astounded that you have never heard of them before. This is certainly the case with second support act Bakewell Street. They are all very good looking men, who were dressed stylishly but above all they know how to write a good song. I can’t be certain who specifically in the band is responsible for the song writing but whoever it is they defiantly know how to string words together.
Lead singer Tom Opie has a very raw and distinctive voice that could turn any song into a memorable one. The music they play is rather difficult to define as it crosses over into several genres such as rock, pop, alternate with even a slight hint of country. Tom impressed everyone when he announced that the band where going to perform a song that they had only just written the day before. Although at points Tom missed his cue to sing the next line, the bands ability and guts to play such new material is inspiring. Also inspiring was that they included a saxophone in one of their songs which you don’t see very often, if at all.
In-between each act DJ Stubanga provided the audience with pounding dance remixes that added to the energy and vibe of the night. At most gigs the interval music is so monotonous that it actually compels you to go to the bar and get another beer.
Next it was time for the band everyone had been waiting for to finally come on stage to play songs off their debut EP Lets Not And Say We Did. As the lights dimmed and a projector started streaming random speeding images on to the wall directly behind the drums, all five members of The Shiny Brights paraded onto the stage. From the first step they took onto that stage they managed to entertain and captivate the entire audience.
Lead vocalist Wolfgang is a natural entertainer feeding off of the crowds energy and excitement. He struts around the stage from one microphone to the next displaying the vitality and playfulness of a child. Other band member from James (guitar) to Chris (bass), Alex (guitar) and Miles (drums) all moved around almost colliding with each other. They stood up on the speakers, the drum kit and provided back up vocals. Each song was a gradual build up to something more. What that something was no one really knew but there was a general feeling that The Shiny Brights were still holding back, waiting patiently to unveil something that would end the night on a bang.
As the band left the stage to take a short break the crowd grew more enthusiastic and impatient. Then a line up of people dressed in assorted tiger costumes came onto the stage jumping and dancing around getting the crowd fired up. The band members then came back onto the stage and preformed their song Electric Tigerland which provided the whole nights them of tigers. From free tiger beers to people walking around throughout the night dressed normally, except for the fact that they were wearing a tigers head, or just tiger paws. This song was the pinnacle of the night with the tigers dancing without inhibitions because their costumes, for the most part, hid their identities. Wolfgang wanted everyone to get in on the onstage action so he started to yank people out of the crowd and up onto the stage. By the end of the show the stage was filled to the brim with people jumping around and climbing on top of the bands equipment.
The Shiny Brights reminded everyone why they are such a fantastic band to see live. Unlike so many other bands out there, The Shiny Brights actually put effort into their live shows making sure that no one leaves without being converted into a fan. They unquestionably have a strong following here in Adelaide, now they just need to replicate this around the rest of the country.
