Kisschasy @ The Ferntree GullyHotel, Melbourne (09/10/09)

Sat 17th Oct, 2009 in Gig Reviews

It was Kisschasy’s first visit to Ferntree Gully in four years and it was certainly a memorable return performance. The Melbourne leg of their Seizures tour included a number of shows at various locations; however the Ferntree Gully Hotel was a gig not to be missed. A stellar set list, comedy and a genuinely electric atmosphere were just some of the elements making it a night of entertainment at its best.

Admittedly, it was a slow start to the evening as support, Regular John, did not quite achieve the goal of warming up the audience. The crowd appeared to be far from enthused by the poor sound quality, which optied for volume rather than clarity. and as a result one could barely make out what the band’s frontman was saying. If the songs and their lyrics were more audible and without the static feedback, there is a high possibility that they would have been much more enjoyable and better received by the audience.

Nonetheless, as Kisschasy took to the stage the entire room was uplifted. Kicking it off with first single and well-known pop/rock anthem, Do Do’s & Woah-ohs, the Melbourne boys came out with energy and grandeur. The crowd was captivated from the very first note, singing every word with fists, hands and glasses raised in the air. Following this up with crowd pleaser, Strings and Drums, before moving onto new material, Tarantula and We All Need To Be Alone, the night was well and truly on the road to amazing things.

The band continued to tear through the set with high style. Impressive guitar solos, close to flawless vocals from Darren Cordeux, comedic audience interaction and humble smiles from bassist Joel Vanderuit carried the audience all too quickly to the end of the first part of the show. After the boy’s fast exit from the stage, the crowd made sure to make enough noise to ensure this was not the last we would see of them for the night.

Cordeux answered the audience’s demands; returning to the stage alone with his guitar to play Black Dress from debut album their United Paper People record. Showing off his inspiring vocal talent, he created goosebumps on the skin. The emotive lyrics stirred the audience into the clichéd swaying motion, an array of mobile phones and lighters held high.

Continuing what would be a four song encore, Cordeux remained alone on the stage and launched into the love song from the latest album, Dinosaur. Although the album has only been out a little over a month, nearly every person in the room knew the words. The beautifully simple song stole the hearts of most and had this reviewer wishing that all good things did not have to come to an end.

Closing the evening with the clever and insightful track, Strawberry Jam and hugely popular Spray on Pants, the gig came to a powerful ending. Finishing what was a virtually unforgettable night with a well-deserved stage dive, a toast to the audience and one last cheesy grin Cordeux made his way off stage with Joel Vanderuit (bass), Karl Ammitzboll (drums) and Sean Thomas (guitar) not far behind. A very satisfied crowd was left wanting more while simultaneously still in awe of the gig they had experienced.