O’ball 2010 @ Uni Cloisters,Adelaide (20/03/10)

Tue 23rd Mar, 2010 in Gig Reviews

CHECK OUT ALL THE PHOTOS HERE.

O-Ball 2010 wasn’t a particularly big affair. For half the event bands were hard pressed to get the scattering of people on the grass to form any sort of standing collective near the stage. It’s a pity as the stage at Adelaide Uni Cloisters was a perfect venue for both lounging around on the grass and standing in front of stage and it’s a shame both avenues weren’t simultaneously crammed as the atmosphere could have been electric.

The first act to suffer from this audience apathy were The Waterslides. As always animated and extremely entertaining this band is filling a void left by Gerling and (the reforming) The Avalanches in an almost undefinable eclectic danceable mashup. The band rocked, rapped and high voltage set (literally) characterised as much by their onstage antics and gizmos – be they telephones, bubble or snow machines, megaphones – as by their outrageously catchy sound built around live beats, DJ samples, smooth bass grooves and a random assortment of electronic sounds. For some unfortunate reason the band never seem to get exposed to enough audiences which is a pity given they are far and away the most entertaining act in Adelaide. They’re just a couple of singles and film clips away from a huge cult following, especially given the nation’s current penchant for party bands and on stage entertainment. If they get signed or find a decent agent or booker, don’t be surprised to see the working the festival circuit over the next few summers.

The Hot Little Hands are a solid indie outfit from Melbourne who have some strong tunes, a vocalist with a good handle on his upper register and some light indie grooves. With a great bass sound and some strong singing the band’s sound was decent but the tracks could carry a bit more punch. The act has a bit of a cool vibe but the live sound doesn’t quite match the perfection of their recordings, which, whilst in itself is not dissimilar to most acts, is exacerbated by the fact their hooks aren’t overly strong. And like the band before them, they suffered due to the gap between them and the audience.

Cloud Control had the smarts to insist the crowd come forward, but the sheer quality of their hooks and a near perfect sound mix, probably would have eventuated in the throng being drawn in at any rate. The band has clearly taken their already sound live act to new heights. For some reason singer Alastair seemed to have on-stage issues with his guitar but the audience’s mix was fantastic and the band leapt from one great song to another. If The Waterslides are one of the best bands in SA, then Cloud Control are certainly up there in the ranks of Australian acts. To even label them folk rock is unfair as they are a cut above the majority of ‘new folk’ acts on the local and international circuit. This is one act on the rise and certainly deserving of any praise going their way. Tracks like Death Cloud and Gold Canary are classics in the making with the former probably deserving of a lot more recognition.

The relatively poor showing was made even more disappointing when the ridiculously great Space Invadas took to the stage. This white-hot soul funk quintet deserved a far bigger crowd and stage as they stole the entire show with amazing grooves, utmost professionalism and onstage charisma. Everything from the sharp drum rolls, smooth bass lines, thick lounge-funk guitar chords and rich silky vocals were right on queue. I urge anyone who has the slightest interest in jazz, funk or soul to see these guys on tour because it could very well be the best act you see all year.

Yves Klein Blue brought the night to a close with a strong performance, perhaps not at the same level as the act they followed but entertaining nonetheless. Singer Michael, earlier revealing himself to be a very contemplative sort in person, took to the stage with far more confidence and energy than during the act’s set some months ago at Jive. Losing the slicked back hair, the singer appears to have made a slight adjustment to his on-stage persona for the better, leaping around on stage and constantly engaging with the audience. Whilst the band is tight and solid their whole show is driven by his magnetic presence and the sprawling way he delivers his honest and narrative-rich lyrics. Predictably the highlights of the set were Polka and Getting Wise, with the latter’s sing along chorus providing the highlight of the night, were one to go by the crowd’s reaction. Whilst in fairness the band didn’t match the performances of the previous two acts, they pulled the biggest crowd and procured the best reaction and as such, earned their headline slot.

It is a little sad that this O-Ball line-up couldn’t get the crowd it deserved. Perhaps funding and band availability played a part, but maybe one slightly bigger name could have helped raise attendance levels. Still, those who went appeared to relish their time, especially from Crowd Control’s exceptional set onwards. If anything heavy handedness of the security was something that did earn the ire of some attendees and perhaps is something that needs to be looked at.

CHECK OUT ALL THE PHOTOS HERE.