The Panics @ The MetroTheatre, Sydney (14/11/08)

Tue 18th Nov, 2008 in Gig Reviews

CHECK OUT ALL THE PHOTOS FROM THE SHOW HERE.

Unexpected torrential rain moved everyone into the Metro Theatre quickly, even as several tickets were being sold at the door. Nevertheless, the vibe inside was in stark contrast to the weather – relaxed and cool. With no photo pit in sight, the punters waited comfortably in a more intimate concert setting for the first act to arrive.

“Dreams do come true!” were the words of joy that came from Dead Letter Chorus’ bass guitarist Andrew Rose. According to Rose, they got this gig after sending a MySpace message to The Panics themselves, and they made sure they left a lasting impression. The quintet, fronted by the duel male-female vocals of Cameron Potts and Gabrielle Huber, served the audience a mixture of alt-country and folk-rock. Whilst it may be a growing trend amongst Australian and international artists alike, Dead Letter Chorus executed it with soaring melodies and unique passion.

Lisa Mitchell, in contrast, felt lifeless on-stage. As she sang through songs from her well-received EPs, she demonstrated some extraordinary vocal ability. However, she rarely ignited the crowd, minus the few young men who repeatedly screamed for her to fulfill their sexual dreams. At times it felt like she and her band were phoning it in; inaudible dialogue and stale performing created an almost non-existent stage presence. Whilst the music was interesting, the stage show was not.

The Panics approached the stage with the sort of confidence that only comes after the proverbial – œbig’ record. Playing most of the songs off Cruel Guards, they had the audience in the palm of their hands for a majority of the gig – moving and singing along to almost every track played. It was surprising to see such a large, devoted following, yet also testament to the strength of their multi-award-winning album. With the crowd swaying its arms side to side, they played Don’t Fight It with finesse, beauty and aplomb, filing the theatre with an inexplicable, visceral feeling.

Moments like these were scattered amongst the show, but whilst The Panics played tightly and coherently, they often appeared to be lacking an element from their live act. Tranquility seemed to be the key to their live show – yet you couldn’t help but think that the energy that they displayed over some of their set (and through guitarist Drew Wooten all night) could have been utilised further. This untapped energy was best displayed during the instrumental track that came in the encore. The band was at their most sincere – yet most powerful – when not saying much at all.

It was underwhelming, yet nevertheless commendable. Their music alone can hold a show, which is a skill few bands have. And while they did not leave any of the punters unhappy, there is still a long way to go before their live act reaches the same heights as their recorded material.