Brittle @ The Toff in Town,Melbourne (30/09/09)

Thu 8th Oct, 2009 in Gig Reviews

For this gig the Toff had a combination of highly positive things; a calm and relaxed mid-week crowd, a warm, friendly atmosphere and a perfectly intimate setting. Yet most importantly, this was topped off with some of Melbourne’s (and Geelong’s) most promising up-and-coming punk, rock, and alternative music talent. This line-up was sure to impress and as I made my way out of the gig, I smiled realising that my high expectations had been met.

A small crowd, made up mostly with the members of the other performing bands, gave first support The Human Electric a warm welcome and generally were not disappointed with the Geelong band’s performance. Despite playing before a near empty room, the boys put together a strong rock set with a slight pop edge. Bassist, Dylan, embraced a traditional rock star stance and drummer, Kurt, was a stand-out figure of the evening. Producing a sound comparable to a number of the big names in the rock/pop and punk genres, they are a band that is easily enjoyable.

By the time The Dowlings took to the stage, the room supported a healthier and livelier looking audience, who were rewarded with Jack and Andrew Dowling’s smooth vocals and charismatic attitudes. Their rock/alternative style displayed some old school roots and can be seen to represent elements of their listed influences, particularly The Beatles. A strong group dynamic, a polished performance and a unique sound highly impressed this reviewer.

Click On Colour were the final support to take to the stage and by the end of their set it was clear that they could have easily been the headlining band. Their tight synchronisation and comfortable stage presence made it the first set of the night to achieve a steady vocal response from the crowd. They have developed and sharpened their performance since the last time I saw them, just a couple of months ago, and it is sure to bring good things their way.

The Toff practically swelled with energy as Brittle finally struck that opening note. Confidence and natural ability radiated from the stage as the skilled musicians played what appeared to be a seamless set; the pop-rockers obviously very much in control and at home in front of a crowd.

Frontman Ben Whiting’s vocals demonstrated his experience and professionalism, being both well-practiced and virtually flawless in terms of tone and pitch. This was further complimented by Ben O’Dwyer’s backing vocals. The two voices combined created near perfect harmonies which were a pleasure to listen to.

The set list was impossible not to like. Their songs are immediately-catchy and compel you to tap and bop along to the beat. However, it was L is for Lovers that completely won this reviewer over and judging by the audience’s reaction, the entire room was in agreement. Regardless of whether or not you were familiar with the song, it captivated the crowd and Whiting had just about every set of lips mouthing the lyrics with him.

Brittle were playing to and for the audience, rather than purely playing music and it made for a high quality performance. The Melbourne boys definitely have a mainstream appeal and it is clear that we will be seeing big things from them in the not too distant future. They have already played with a string of big name bands since they started out in 2003 and if all of their gigs are like this one, opportunities are certain to keep rolling their way.

CHECK OUT THE PHOTOS FROM THE GIG HERE