Ladyhawke, The Swiss @ TheForum, Melbourne (12/11/09)

Tue 1st Dec, 2009 in Gig Reviews

It was an unfortunate talking point only a month out from Australia’s premiere music event: how could a New Zealand born songstress possibly be eligible for recognition and the highest of acolades from the Australian Record Industry Association? Despite murmurs, Kiwi Pip Brown earnt herself a total of five ARIA nominations, and soon touched down for her first Australian tour, with a thing or two to prove.

First up at The Forum were The Swiss, who describe themselves as a ‘legit live disco act’. I’m not going to disagree with that. It was clear from the beginning that they’re a band that means business: crashes of cymbals quickly met by a delicious bassline, and kick-drum to boot. A lengthy jam soon ensued, a staple of their performance, as mic effects enabled a unique component to their funk-laden sound. Actually, truth be told, they’re an excellently talented trio that could afford to use the mic more.

Often the band produces riffs brilliantly ripe for a lyrical hook, and it is, at times, unfortunate that they are too consumed by ensuring expert instrumentation. Following a marathon opener, and a healthy show of appreciation from the Forum crowd, the band introduce themselves. And then, predictably, another enduring number begins. They are to be commended not only for their cohesion, but their stamina: the set is one giant juggernaut, each song seamlessly powering through to the next. Each member works tirelessly to produce slick, synth-heavy dancefloor-fillers. Their one fault is that they’re not fantastically entertaining to watch. Again, I suspect this is due to their complete focus and commitment to musical perfection – which, more often than not, is a fair enough trade-off. A cover of Daft Punk’s Robot Rock at the tail of the set was a sweet surprise, and a lasting memory.

Soon enough, it was time for Ladyhawke and her long awaited appearance before a packed venue. It was always going to be, if nothing else, an extraordinary light show with giant structures lining the depths of the stage. Even the microphone sparkled white, every inch decked out with fairy lights. A warm welcome, and Brown launched into track one from her self-titled debut, Magic.

It wasn’t a particularly convincing start, her vocal ability leaving a lot to be desired initially. Fortunately, Browd quickly recovered, the infectuous Dusk Til Dawn prompting mass-karaoke, with feet shifting in unison across the floor. There’s a sense of aggression and authority about her brand of electro-rock. Each song is delivered with an edge, an unmistakable confidence. Funnily enough, however, Brown herself doesn’t do all that much – she might have crossed to the side of stage once or twice – and its an observation which is as much a compliment as derisive. She has a strange knack for a kind of effortless entertainment.

The crowd loved every second, seated punters finding their way into the aisles. Each song seemed more popular than the last, as the entire Forum emerged in fine voice. The cynic in me spots a predictable pattern in Ladyhawke’s repertoire, but that’s not to say its not a winning formula. In fact, throughout the course of the performance, I was gradually won over, and began to suspect I may have underestimated Ladyhawke all along. An encore brought with it a rendition of Split Enz’ Message To My Girl, as well as a cover of Free Money by Patti Smith. It was the fierce single My Delirium that stole (and ended) the show, however, as punters walked away more than satisfied.

It was a performance that, in a small way, justified her imminent ARIA success. A memorable, and truly fun evening courtesy of a ‘Breakthrough Artist’.

CHECK OUT THE PHOTOS FROM THE GIG HERE