The Sand Pebbles @ The Toff,Melbourne (15/08/09)

Mon 17th Aug, 2009 in Gig Reviews

Launching their latest record, A Thousand Wild Flowers, (a compilation of sorts to break through to the international market), The Sand Pebbles appear as the Toff curtains part. The band smacking right into Wild Season and Speed & Intensity before running through mostly trademark epic material from recent records Ceduna, Atlantis Regrets Nothing and Ghost Transmissions.

Red, Orange, Purple And Blue is as ethereal as ever with the Chris Hollow bass driving the tune forward in the most emphatic of fashion. The Ben Michael X guitar elevating to great heights throughout the evening, but especially cut-through on this track and the twelve minute Black Sun Ensemble, performed again with such gusto and intensity but also afforded the space and time the song requires to be as impacting as it needs to be.

Lead vocalists/guitarists Andrew Tanner and Tor Larsen working the three-guitar assault nicely alongside the Ben Michael X wig-outs, alternating their vocal between songs, singing falsetto and harmonies to highlight the strength of the pairs songbird qualities – particularly on the 13th Floor Elevators cover of Splash 1. The Larsen youthful warble mixing it with the age and experience of the authoritative Tanner blend.

Hitting us with The Day Summer Fell, Big Left, a forceful and a drone-infused Nathalie, the set list is as always meticulously chosen to build the band into a zone. The Sand Pebbles are hypnotists masquerading as musicians. Zen masters who continually deliver on both record and on the live arena and tonight it’s classic Pebbles – equal parts psychedelia, flower punk, pop and rock and glorious zone music, ably assisted by the sci-fi drone of The Spoils turban-wearing Sean Simmons sitting at the feet of the band, working his drone box swirl and building atmosphere throughout the disappointingly chatter box venue.

Whilst the audio visual behind The Sand Pebbles showed assorted film scenes featuring players such as Clark Gable to De Niro to puppet mastery snapshots of Being John Malkovich – in my mind the cinematic backdrop was unnecessary – for watching the band go to work is more than enough to lose yourself in without any other visual distraction. Because I Could, a new song from the band quickly put my only misgivings about the gig to rest, as I became infatuated with this psych stomp rocker.

Tor Larsen channels Robert Plant on the 13th Floor Elevators’ I Don’t Ever Want To Come Down with Future Proofed being the bands finale. Ben Michael X wipes his forehead having retained that – œout of mind on dope and speed’ look in his eye throughout the show, whilst the bands latest drummer Westley Holland’s chops were on the money tonight, hitting the skins hard and clean with Hollow’s driving bass, as always, keeping time as general of the band.

Whilst The Sand Pebbles possess so much individual talent – collectively they shine as Melbourne’s best band unit. Songs lock in and take the listener on a trip through time. Transcendental type stuff that takes over your mind and body every time. Exploding from the eye of the universe like no other.

CHECK OUT THE PHOTOS FROM THE GIG HERE