Find yourself in Stuo’s Gallery

Indie bands are always desperately trying to separate themselves from their counterparts by constructing new genre hybrids. It happens so often that it’s easy to forget the joys of the basic roots which inform most other sounds. Local outfit Tracksuit offer up something along these lines, playing a refreshingly straight interpretation of rock with Australian influence. The band’s charming stage presence complements their upbeat, fun and dancy songs, which are structured so that all band members can display their musical competence. But while each member displayed proficiency for their respective instruments, the lack of strength provided in the backup vocals let down what was otherwise a quality act.

The Novocaines followed playing loud and eclectic from start to finish, blending aspects of rock, punk and post-punk. A powerful energy runs through both the music and its delivery, with front man Corey Marriott and lead guitarist Jay Marriott feeding off each other. While loud and fast, the band was completely at home onstage, taking moments between the chaos of their music to engage the crowd, and ending the set well with their now well-known track Cup of Coffee.

And then there was Kram, waltzing onstage with an ample blood alcohol concentration and the kind of rock and roll swagger that takes years to perfect. Taking full advantage his new creative independence, Kram tackled several instruments (guitar, drums, harmonica, keyboard) and a surprisingly vast vocal range (from whisper to sharp falsetto). The instrumental variety was matched by the wide array of musical styles, with a harmonica/hip-hop hybrid, an acoustic cover of The Rammones’ Blitzkrieg Bop, and a sample of the The Rolling Stones’ Emotional Rescue between a12-bar blues riff to name a few. Despite spending a lot of time at the back on the drums, Kram still managed to remain the focal point and eclipse his supporting musicians. There were several times during the night when his partners left the stage to give Kram the complete spotlight, and at other times he leapt from the stage to frolic in the crowd. However having band members constantly walking on and offstage added to the lack of cohesion already produced from the jumbled amalgamation of musical style. Regardless, the act was pulled off with charisma and talent, showcasing a fine musical talent.

Find yourself in Stuo’s Gallery