National Campus BandCompetition ACT Final, ANUBar, Canberra, (2/09/09)

Fri 4th Sep, 2009 in Gig Reviews

The National Campus Band Comp is an Australia wide search for up and coming young talent- the largest of it’s kind in the southern hemisphere, and the winners from each state and territory compete at the Gold Coast for a dazzling array of prizes, including studio time, instruments, cash and media attention. Among the ranks of NCBC alumni is Eskimo Joe, Jebediah, Grinspoon, The Vines and Frenzal Rhomb, some damn good company.

Kicking off the night for the ACT finals at ANU Bar was three-piece punk/rock/ska act Short Fuse. Their energy was a great way to start, with a sound reminiscent of Less Than Jake, Operation Ivy or even old school Green Day. They’ve been playing together for around a year, and have already recorded some demos. The boys put everything they had into their songs for NCBC, and started what was to be a long, yet entertaining, evening of music.

Next to take the stage was Brave Empire, a seven-piece rock/hip hop group whose mix of male and female vocalists make for an interesting set. The hip hop scene is flourishing in Australia, and these guys made a great contribution, having recently released an independent album A New Era. They had ANU Bar up and moving, and set themselves up early as one of the front runners for the big prize.

Curly haired pre-pubescent boys Fallsuit Theory were up next. The band was formed through a music assignment at Alfred Deakin High School, and Jackson Lewis, Angus T, Jesse Skivington and Robbie Thomson play a sound far beyond their years, and quote legends like Red Hot Chili Peppers, Metallica and Nirvana as influences. Their songs were a great achievement from four boys who otherwise wouldn’t even be allowed in ANU Bar, and as they grow and their sound matures, could have a lot to offer the Canberra scene.

Starfish Hill has already made a name for themselves across Canberra as the champions of UC Battle of the Bands 2009 and were aiming to keep their winning streak alive at NCBC. Frontman Tim Dyer kept a charismatic rapport with the crowd, after their energetic bumblebee themed first song he grabbed the mike and exclaimed ‘Got your attention now? I friggin’ hope so!’ The four-piece group kept the audience with them on the ride until the closing notes of Break Me Out were drowned out by applause. With Richard White on bass, Brendan Anderson on guitar and Frank Aloe on drums, Starfish Hill has already proven themselves as a band to watch.

Sammy JC of prog-funk group Cartesian Discotec raised an eyebrow in his fetching stage ensemble; a vest and no shirt (ok, he did wear pants), but once the band began their purely instrumental first song, thoughts of the vest were mostly forgotten. Heralding themselves as a fusion of funk, indie and progressive rock, Cartesian Discotec had ANU Bar grooving, and their guitarist Jimmy Kwan even leapt off the stage to immerse himself in the audience. Thank goodness for long guitar cords. Their influences seemed linked to Sammy’s JC vest inspiration; Jimi Hendrix, Kings of Leon and Anthony Kiedis were just some of the names dropped. Cartesian Discotec were there just to have fun and rock out – vest and all.

A drummer on lead vocals? That’s the norm for three-piece Arythmia whose NCBC set included the tracks Bullet, Dust and Stuck. Drummer Ben Schroeter refers to their sound as – œ_uh… different_ ’, and it’s this genre defiance that gives the guys their edge. A little bit of indie, a dash of metal, and a pinch of prog-rock all mixed in an experimental pot mean that their songs become multi-layered, and tracks like Bullet build and build to a crashing crescendo. These versatile boys put on a great show, and we’re sure to see more of them around town.

With track names like Pistols at Dawn, Shotguns at Lunch it was hard to ignore penultimate band Point Of View. Clearly a bunch of good friends, the guys said they were just happy to be there, and be a part of such a good lineup. They’ve only been playing together since mid 2008, and already have one EP done and another in the works. ANU Bar was treated to their alternative rock sounds in the five song set, and despite playing second last, kept the punters interest.

The evening was drawing to a close, but the audience still had one more thing in store for them; an electric performance from The Trivs. Obviously a crowd favourite, The Trivs had everyone dancing in an instant. They immediately stood out as, unlike some of their competitors, The Trivs have been playing together a long time and this shone through in the way they moved, how together and professional their songs were, and how they communicated with the audience. ‘I know it’s a competition and all, ’ began lead singer Miller Rouse, in between tunes, ‘but that doesn’t mean we can’t love each other, right?’. ANU Bar sure felt the love, and here’s hoping everyone does up at the Gold Coast for the NCBC final!

Winner- The Trivs
2nd – Brave Empire
3rd- Starfish Hill