Cassette Kids @ Oxford ArtFactory, Sydney (07/11/08)

Tue 11th Nov, 2008 in Gig Reviews

It’s pretty impossible to fault the Cassette Kids at this point in the game. Not only have they made the very smart choice of signing with Sony in these trying times, but they are still managed by Modular’s own scene champion, Jovan Curic, undoubtedly the coolest dude in Nike kicks. But even Jovi is flabbergasted at the turnout at Oxford Arts tonight. It’s rainy and gross outside, but the room is fucking packed, in a way that hasn’t happened since the club opened a little over a year ago. Fortune obviously favours this Sydney quartet, who may have lost Garage2V in this same room last year, but have emerged the undisputed winners since.

Although the room is brimming with record label types, this is the opposite of one of those ‘industry only’ showcases – a gig by the kids, for the kids. Just the sight of excited fans jumping up and down when the band come on stage, and then hearing them sing the words to songs such as Acrobat and We Are, proves that the music world may be suffering, but it definitely is not dead. Cassette Kids have a strong word-of-mouth following and have built up their reputation the hard way, playing hundreds of support shows with everyone from Muscles to The Presets. But although they were previously cast into the ‘scenester’ pile, with an expected shelf life of less than a few months, this group has defied the critics by writing a solid collection of songs.

This band is as relevant to the girls as the boys – with the former gazing at Katrina’s outrageous blond mop and American Apparel-meets-Ksubi get-up, while the males get kicks out of guitarist Dan’s seemingly endless pedal box of tricks. Katrina’s voice has improved considerably, and she carefully measures up each high note before exploding into what can only be described as a sonic boom through the mic.

If marketed right (which they have been of late), Cassette Kids have the potential to outsell the bevy of half-assed rock bands dominating our airwaves of late. If this mini-album launch is anything to go by, expect to be paying upwards of fifty bucks for a show by the time they release an LP. Deep within the confines of Hargrave Street, someone in A&R still knows what they’re doing.