British India @ Hi-Fi Bar,Melbourne (27/6/09)

Wed 1st Jul, 2009 in Gig Reviews

In what was promoted as the last show in their hometown Melbourne for five months, south-east suburbia foursome British India drew a raucous crowd to the Hi-Fi in a gig also incorporating the venue’s 10th birthday celebrations.

Having played at its newly born sister in Brisbane a week earlier, the shows bring to an end a chaotic 12 months for the band in which they have played over 150 shows to accompany second album Thieves. Most recently this included their second trip to the shores of her Majesty – England – where they’ve been invited to perform at The Great Escape festival in Brighton.

But if anyone thought the result of this extensive schedule would be a tired performance, fears were diminished as early as the opening track, the frantic This Dance Is Loaded. Lead singer Declan Melia had his swagger on from the word go, dropping his guitar down by his side to move with an air of Omar Rodriguez-Lopez about him.

Not to be outdone, guitarist Nic Wilson sets the bar for on-stage energy as he whips himself into a sweaty, hairy mess, no doubt a motivation for those following suit at his feet in the front rows. While the band looked most comfortable at such frenzied moments, it was no surprise to hear the cheers of approval for more radio friendly singles I Said I’m Sorry and God Is Dead, Meet The Kids.

Long time fans were treated to Guillotine throwbacks in Run The Red Light and Teenage Mother, the latter spurring Melia to pull his hoodie over his face before singing the opening lyrics. Despite no mention of Michael Jackson, a feat in itself for many musicians in the past week, this could have been mistaken for a bizarre kind of homage to the King of Pop.

What’s to like most about British India is not only their constantly improving and high quality live performance, but the pillar to post strength of their set after just two albums. One would assume this will see them sustain or more likely increase their success into the future. Further evidence of how deep these guys bat is the omission of some excellent album tracks from the live arena (I’m looking at you, Mona Lisa Overdrive).

The jangly, high paced guitars of Nic The Poet make for one of the evenings highlights. Melia swtiches between vocal duties, prompting a shout-along for the ‘3000 kids all on their mobile phones!’, before assisting Matt O’Gorman for the breakneck drum bridge.

O’Gorman continued with the pounding bass drum for the unreleased 30-second call and response mayhem of This Aint’ No Fucking Disco, the customary lead in to closing number Black and White Radio. Despite being track one off album one, it’s the ideal finisher as Melia belts out the final lyrics with his axe triumphantly clenched in one hand.

While the suggestion of new tracks went begging, the drained yet fulfilled looks of those exiting the Hi-Fi afterward would indicate it didn’t affect the satisfaction levels of the gig. The upcoming hole in British India’s touring schedule hints at the possibility of this new material coming to life, and with this band’s track record and work ethic, we may be in for something special.

CHECK OUT THE PHOTOS FROM THE GIG HERE