End Of Fashion, Oh Mercy, TheGreasers @ East BrunswickClub, East Brunswick(06/03/09)

Mon 9th Mar, 2009 in Gig Reviews

My first memory of End Of Fashion was formed when my brother returned home late one night and placed their very first EP on the desk in front of me. So amazing were they, that this thrifty, sensible sibling of mine had splurged on a three-track CD for my listening pleasure. Needless to say, another EP, two studio albums and a few years later, I was excited to have the chance to finally check the Perth trio out for myself.

First up, though, were Melbourne’s The Greasers, charged with the task of warming up an unfortunately reluctant East Brunswick crowd with slow-opener Metamorphosis. Those in the know may recognise lead vocalist Dominic Byrne from his other, recently-successful outfit Little Red. Although its a drastic departure from the 50s-60s doo-wop that he’s best known for, Byrne fits perfectly alongside Richard Bradbeer and Sam Raines in creating their own particular brand of pop-rock. They’re a likeable bunch, with likeable music. But I guess the first thing that crossed my mind, is that they look like a high-school band, and that its their less successful songs that complete the picture. Sure, like I said: iis likeable – and for that reason, I’m reluctant to give them a bad rap – but I just didn’t find it all that interesting. A stand-out, however, was Shelly, with its chorus (“She likes to go out on Friday night / She likes to go out on Saturday night…”) proving more absorbing, and, ultimately, something to distinct to hold onto amidst a stock-standard set.

Next, a fellow local act, Oh Mercy: a four-piece indie-pop-rock group that I’m instantly drawn to. They are a familiar sort of band; the vocalist reminds me, in ways, of Jae Laffer (of The Panics fame), and their music alludes to a folkier incarnation of Canberra’s 78 Saab. Oh Mercy provided a slightly-eager East Brunswick Club crowd a tight, cohesive, varied performance, with a welcomed inclusion of harmonica and keys atop their guitar-driven sound. Tracks such as Salvation Jane impressed with witty wordplay, while the recent single Seemed Like A Good Idea demonstrated each member’s sound vocal abilities. However, again, like The Greasers, although they were a litlte bit more my thing, I wanted them to step outside the square. Too cliched? Well, you know how you listen to a song for the first time, and you know you’re going to come back to it later? I want to hear that song from Oh Mercy. I’m sure, like The Greasers, they’ve got it, but for now, they’re just a good quality band.

A brief intermission followed, but soon proceedings struck End-Of-Fashion-o’clock, and the trio had the building crowd rocking out to Love Comes In, taken from their self-titled debut album. I’ve got to say, the set was quite loud. Like, really loud. If you like your rock deafening, check them out, especially because its not just noise. The crowd was moving and bopping along, and it does have that undeniable catchiness about it. The band delve into material from their latest release, Book Of Lies, before frontman Justin Burford finally seizes his chance to shine in songs Anymore and In Denial. Burford has one of the more amazing voices I’ve heard in recent times – which, to be fair, I knew, but seeing him live is a different thing entirely. The rest of the set was a to-and-fro between old and unconvincing new material. Apart from single Fussy, the trips to the past that provided the highlights, with the singalong-inducing Lock Up Your Daughters, and the Beatles-esque Rough Diamonds. Overall, I’m glad that after all this time I finally caught End Of Fashion, as they certainly lived up to my expectations.

And so, as the book (of lies?) closed on another night at the East Brunswick, I might not have found it particularly challenging or musically ground-breaking, but I had a good time. And that qualifies for a thumbs up.

CHECKOUT THE PIX HERE