Coopers Alive - We Grow Up,The British Robots @ The RhinoRoom, Adelaide (17/10/09)

Mon 19th Oct, 2009 in Gig Reviews

The Rhino Room came alive last Friday, kicking off the Coopers Alive ‘09 Festival in quirky style and celebration. Bubbles filled the stage as independent local acts The British Robots and We Grow Up prepared to showcase their musical talents to an eager crowd who were anxiously waiting to hear some of the finest bands Adelaide had to offer. Full of excitement, the audience was happily donned in glow sticks and crazy attire, embracing the festive spirit to support local acts in their endeavors towards the bigger and better things that await them.

The British Robots made their presence known from the minute they graced the stage with their intriguing dress, inviting the crowd to an enthusiastic set of bubbles and percussion. Their fun and boppy musicality truly demonstrated why they are a local act to watch. The British Robots displayed a vast and various range of music to the mob at The Rhino Room, moving swiftly from pop songs with an essence of laid back rock, such as Trickster, to the sincere slow paced Winter Song. The transition between whimsical folk and edgy indie seemed effortless, firmly establishing that this youthful group have a sure sense of self and direction.

As Radio Spectacular disappointingly had to pull out due to injury, We Grow Up followed later in the night with their indie pop sensibility captivating the crowd from the beginning of their set. Jon Marco from The Honey Pies joined the band on guitar, bringing an unidentifiable groove to their ready formed sound. Despite their stage presence at times feeling unconfident and clumsy, they evidently showed their potential through catchy beats and heavy rhythm, similar to the sounds of the Finn Brothers and Cuthbert and the Nightwalkers. Although We Grow Up seemed comfortable in the niche of neofolk, it was clear that at times their appreciation of various genres was too vast, thus confusing the audience with an infusion of sound, rather than variations of a singular style. Their approach to soft paced tunes was endearing, and although some of their new material may be deemed as – œrough’, when developed more will be promising tracks for this group.

The night was a joyful blend of blissful atmospheric sounds and jiving pop, showcasing the talent offered to the crowd at The Rhino Room were versatile and able to please all ages. From the – œSuper Mario’ game set, projected as a background to the bands performance, to the inflatable cows found roaming around top floor, the first night of Coopers Alive’09 was a wonderful night out, and a great way to experience new music and support the local bands.