The Drones @ The Corner,Melbourne (23/4/09)

Mon 27th Apr, 2009 in Gig Reviews

First up to kick out the jams were the Melbourne four piece Witch Hats. For those not in the know Witch Hats carry a sound that seems like an equal blend of The Birthday Party and Mudhoney, with throbbing sexy/angry basslines drawing you in at first while the rest of the band kick into gear. The drummer proceeds like an overdriven metronome on heroin, slamming out the beats while taking chunks out of the air, making him a sheer joy to watch/hear. The frontman is no slouch himself, switching between waling and a fantastic scream (unlike the boring screaming of your typical screamo bands), while scraping out accompaniment with his angular guitar approach. Be warned though, they like their amps turned to a solid eleven.

If supporting acts are meant to be a reflection of the main act then Kev Carmody represents the headliner’s intricate folk side though Kev could quite of easily been the main act himself, as like most I’d heard of him before but I never realized just how good he is. Part old blues man, part Bob Dylan, part – œyour favorite grandpa’, it’s almost worth seeing him just for his witty anecdotes; going through jokes about the repression and high appraisal of the likes of Seasick Steve at machinegun pace. Choosing largely from a collection of never recorded seventies numbers he went though old tales such as Mooncloud – a story about a lost child whom an aboriginal tracker was barred from helping find at the time, only to do so later on by following the moonlight to her remains; to an unnamed slide blues number, all while cracking jokes throughout. Kev finished off the night with From Little Things Big Things Grow, with the audience joining in on the classic tale.

Finally The Drones took to the stage, hitting it off with Nail It Down, the first song off their new album Havilah. To say that the Drones like their sound loud doesn’t really cover just how intense they play, it’s more like they’re trying to knock you flat on your arse with it. The first half of the show concentrated on heavier numbers such as The Minotaur and The Miller’s Daughter, which hitting you with such force that you can’t be not left gob smacked.

Liddiard’s chin throughout the night was geared to the roof as he sang like a man possessed while riding the whammy bar to produce the squeals and scraps on songs like The Minotaur. After a while the heavier material gave way into their intricate folk numbers such as Your Acting’s Like The End Of The World, with Luscombe supplying the second guitar hook impeccably. The show had to end at some point thought and they did so with I Don’t Ever Want To Change but soon came back for an encore, finishing with the appropriate Kev Carmody cover River of Tears.

Oh, and happy birthday to drummer Michael Noga.

CHECK OUT THE PIX FROM THE GIG HERE