There’s always something to be said for any act, but Saturday’s headliner at Oxford Art Factory, the truly independent, manager-less Melbournians Mission Control, should have done a better job of lining up their supports when they were trying to create a Sydney buzz for releasing their EP, Innerspace. The fact that Modular has picked these kids up gives them less leeway, not more, to make our nights un-amazing.

The nine o’clock openers came on stage with a Kurt Cobain façade that was backed up by a complete lack of (A) talent and (b) charisma. Their performance was saved only by the presence of the drummer from hell – it looked like he was aiming to kill a squirrel with the sticks that broke after one song; and an airy, ethereal pixie-ish sound from the two electric guitarists. They suggested something bigger than the pastiche that was their frontman was trying to bog them down in.

Lead and support guitar played off against each other with sloppy timing but pretty, escapist sounds as drummer Jasper Fenton hit every cymbal, kit and so on with precision. However, singer Jasper #2 really should learn to pitch his notes before he tries his falsetto on a Saturday night. The honky-tonk ramble about stage didn’t help either – you’re not Johnny Cash here, buddy – but admittedly as the singer became more comfortable with the fact that, yes, he was on stage, it felt like a more natural and less forced performance. Their angrier songs towards the set showed off their propensity towards darker, grittier and generally angrier songs and suited the band much better as a whole.

Funnily enough – pun warning ahead – The Atrocities weren’t atrocious (come on, I gave fair warning!). They weren’t supercalifragilisticexpialidocious either, but somewhere on the fence leaning to the latter camp. A solid set of quirky, spacey and transcendent post-rock pop that reminds the listener of the first time that they discover Pink Floyd; and add the electro keyboard of Ian Curtis. Kudos to the costumer (especially loved the Mighty Boosh skeleton costume) who provided highly cute, highly OAF outfits for the band. However they fell far short of crazy, with underlying chord patterns that didn’t seem to really move anywhere in time for the set to build. Nice – far too nice – for a Saturday. Everyone wanted naughty; and a set that didn’t blend into a wash of sound.

Mission Control are doing the rounds at the moment, relying on Modular’s momentum to push them through the debt they surely owe to signers Universal and producer Zdar. They were using this gig not only to promote EP, but also to hype their upcoming support slot for the Modular act everyone loves to hate, Van She. They do indeed get themselves into the Modular niche. Electro-dance elements shine throughout their set. Synth melody lines pulsed over deep, simplistic bass in an attempt to take the audience somewhere a little more other-worldly. However, like their first support act, it was their drummer who really took the night away with later songs drawing out his ferocious, masculine energy.

Adding the melodic caterwauling of their guitarist, especially on more introspective and – œthinking’ songs such as SO High SO Low, provided the contrast needed to impress their audience. However, the set seemed to muddle through a mix of songs which didn’t really highlight what Zdar has brought out in their production: crisp, clean alien noises that rely on tight timing and precision playing. Unfortunately, we left at the end of the night having a feel of their music, but no stand-out recollections. Admittedly, OAF is a large space and was only half full, which left the music to echo about, but let’s hope that next gig there is more of a focus on the crispness of their sound. Then they may show off what is, in recording, an interesting, emotive sound.