Delphic @ Prince Bandroom,Melbourne (26/03/2010)

Wed 31st Mar, 2010 in Gig Reviews

Check out photos from the Prince here

Prince Bandroom was filled with drunken and large expectations on this particular Friday for the latest instalment of ‘next big thing’ artists in Manchester band Delphic. With the Prince seemingly averting a double booking by hosting two gigs in the one evening (Ozomatli graced the stage earlier), the crowd was in fine form and ready for some synth-laden goodness come 1am when Delphic finally hit the stage.

Having leapt the first hurdle in justifying their street cred with a great debut album in Acolyte, Delphic’s next challenge in backing it up with an equally sufficient live show is as yet unproven. With incredible performances from home-grown electro acts such as Midnight Juggernauts and The Presets having taken place in the same bandroom in recent years, the crowd could be excused for setting the bar high for these tourists.

Adopting a live drummer for the road, the foursome enter in a very low-key fashion with Matt Cocksedge’s guitar signalling Clarion Call to kick off the show. Unfortunately the emphatic track which would seem the perfect choice as opener for the set lacked all the power and urgency it embodies on the album. It was the first of a few occasions on the night which saw band members pointing skyward in search of some increased and desperately required volume.

Things could only get better from here, and they rapidly did so, with Doubt and Red Lights building the band into a groove that lasted through the set’s entirety. The Prince’s scattered neon lights complimented the band’s style as they worked through an extended version of This Momentary, signing it off with a heavy dance outro with knob twiddling and electronic drum pads aplenty.

While a fairly charismatic front man at times, James Cook did still fall into the awkwardness that comes with being a bass player on lead vocals, looking much more at home when he got to put the axe away. While hardly bursting at the seams, the crowd was modest and their reaction much the same, likely an indication of many in attendance just there to see what all the fuss is about.

Delphic showed them as the set came to fruition with best known singles Counterpoint and Halcyon, prompting immediate recognition from many. While not as recognisable, Acolyte proved the ideal closing track of the night, building slowly over its long duration to a wild climax that had everyone raving like it were already Easter weekend. With just the one album on offer, the set was expectedly short and left many pining for more after such a great finish.

While something you’d hope they will eradicate altogether in future, props must be given to Delphic for overcoming a lacklustre beginning on this night. They managed to reproduce the tracks off Acolyte with subtle yet song improving variations, as well as between song mixes that kept the momentum of the gig in place. While Delphic is no shoo-in to be the next BBC-stamped artist to blow-up, Acolyte and its accompanying live show certainly won’t hurt their chances.