Temper Trap, Leader Cheetah @The Corner, Melbourne(10/04/09)

Sun 12th Apr, 2009 in Gig Reviews

A PT Barnum type of raconteur could have made a killing at the Corner after the Temper Trap’s show selling the air from the stage in little jars to aspiring bands. The potent brew of hype, confidence, passion and anticipation in captured those vessels is the magic most pub toiling groups dream of as they haul their gear to another mid week gig.

A week earlier their set at the V Festival shared a time slot with quality international acts such as Elbow, Jenny Lewis and M83, but they had a huge crowd to their side stage. Part of that drawing power has to be attributed to the persuasive powers of being the only act playing the timeslot with a track playlisted on Nova – home to the bastion of tastemakers who – œdiscovered’ Kings of Leon.

By the time Temper Trap hit the stage at this very sold out show the punters were well and truly crammed in , but there was a strong early showing for the worthy support acts. Sydney act Sherlock’s Daughter have a draw card in their dangerously cute singer, who led her band through a set of indie pop that’s happy to break with the standard templates of the sound. They’re both more assured and more willing to experiment with their sound than most support bands and with an EP on the horizon hopefully they’ll come down to Melbourne again soon. Definitely band to keep an ear out for.

The punters really started to cram into the room for fancied Adelaide’s Leader Cheetah who sported an awkward array of – œmy stylist has been on a Sergio Leone binge’ props. With a neatly tailored neckerchief and one member spotting a shiny new sheriff’s badge on his guitar strap in a none to subtle reminder of their occasional country sounds, their getup seemed like the country tinged indeed equivalent of the dreaded kaffiyah and ironic ‘Choose – œLife’ badge of the electro rock set. Despite the country disguises, the reverb drowned the vocals leaving the band sounding more like Interpol than Fleet Foxes.

Gems like Bloodlines shone through, but there was little passion to spark much connection between the group and audience. There’s enough on their Sun Spot Letters to suggest they’ll be kicking around and impressing in the future, but were a distant second string to the Temper Trap on this night.

With the glow of SXSW acclaim and the assured confidence that comes from knowing the world’s yours The Temper Trap burst into their set as the curtains opened and didn’t let up till they leave the stage and the punters screaming for more.

Last year’s MGMT tour, at best a middling effort, proved that no amount of hype can carry a gig if you don’t have the material to back it up. Temper Trap don’t have any such problems as they don’t just have songs; they have anthems. Their glittering riffs venture out to the edge of the cliff like vintage U2 and with the live line up bolstered to include three guitars their sound is as richly sensual as a Lanois or Eno production. And then there’s that cut crystal of Dougie’s voice rising above all else. With out Dougie they’re still an exciting and entertaining act, but the alien beauty of his voice is the weapon that makes their sound truly captivating.

Their record hasn’t dropped yet – hasn’t even leaked – and already the crowd reaction to their show make the set feel like a victory lap of favourites. The cheer that greeted the arrival of Sweet Disposition was laced with as more squeals of delight than deep chested roars and the preen of girls that had gathered at stage left flung a bra aloft as the Trap returned to the stage for their encore. Despite the love and enthusiasm, it was a misjudged encore closing with a tepid version of the Springsteen’s Dancing in the Dark that ended the night like a stain of flat champagne after the earlier celebrations – surely an old EP track would have been a better inclusion to fill their set – where have Sirens and My Son gone?

It’s a minor quibble though, with the headliners proving that that 2009 is theirs for the taking. The Temper Trap aren’t the next big thing, because that that title simply isn’t grandiose enough – unless something seriously strange happens they’ll be huge. You don’t have to believe the hype, but don’t dismiss it either – after all the leagues of punters who claim to only like the first two Kings of Leon records are just as dully predictable as the – œOMG like KoL FTW!!!’ set.

Temper Trap are off to avoid the cold of a Melbourne winter, basing themselves in the UK for six months, but with their debut album Conditions dropping in mid June surely they could manage a quick jaunt home to conquer Splendour?

CHECK OUT THE PHOTOS FROM THE GIG HERE