Van She @ Fowlers, Adelaide(05/09/08)

Thu 11th Sep, 2008 in Gig Reviews

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Van She. Kicking it more as a cavalier synth pop foursome rather than your regular buzzing bass-heavy dance rockers, word has certainly been spreading about these cats. And for good reason. Not content to merely churn out hook laden riffs, stong synth, bass and solid drums these guys carry a refreshing veneer of sincerity and credibilty which sets them apart from their peers. No more is this more evident than their hit The Cat and the Eye. With an air of 90’s art rock mystique, this track shows these guys know how to breathe complexity into pop hooks….something sorely missed from today’s music, (unless you have a fondness for the resurgence of quirky folk-rock femmes – a pet hate of this reviewer). This track was the highlight of an energetic and involving set also punctuated by hits Strangers and Kelly.

Certainly a strong dance element keep punters dancing and grooving, but as with others of their ilk, the presence and aura of the band rendered their lack of stage banter irrelevant. The creamy synth sound also brought an ethereal quality to the stage which the willing crowd eagerly wrapped themselves in.

Kudos also to primary support act, Los Valentinos who brought a lot of energy to the stage, with a multi instrumentalist/dual percussionist, wicked guitar sound and charismatic singer who threw himself all over the stage. These guys have all the elements for a very captivating live act, but require greater material to make further headway on the scene. Mission Control started far too early for punters, the vast majority of whom arrived well after their set.

Knife Machine followed the band with their hard hitting, cutting electro beats. As is the culture in Adelaide, the crowd thinned out dramatically, so the duo ended up playing to a very small scattering. Whilst ideally a DJ set would have been the perfect way to finish the set, culturally this is something that will take some time for audiences at Fowlers to get accustomed to. With Van She Tech gaining momentum as well, one hopes they create a viable on-stage transition from their rock structure to electro proper.

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