On Saturday night the Blue Mountains came to Canberra. Triple J darlings Cloud Control swung into town to play a beautiful set for an excited and packed Transit Bar. Support, in the form of local boys Haunted Attics and Sydney’s pysch-pop quartet Richard In Your Mind, got the crowd moving with dynamic, polished sets, giving a taste of the quality music that was to come.

Attics gave the crowd a collection of their put-a-smile-on-your-face rock songs, with a flair that suggested there is big things in store for these up and comers. Richard In Your Mind took us for a ride with infectious rhythms and an vivacious energy that left no room for standing still and plenty for serious dancefloor action. They played tracks that will appear on the anticipated My Volcano and left no doubt that next time they appear, it will be as headliners.

After what seemed like a rather prolonged sound-check, Cloud Control took to the stage to deliver their brand of easy, breezy pop.
Fresh from supporting Vampire Weekend, and with their debut record Bliss Release currently Triple J’s feature album, Cloud Control delivered a distinctive mix of floaty, folksy melodies and jangly pop numbers with warm gusto on a cold Saturday night.

Opening with There’s Nothing in the Water We Can’t Fight, they followed it up with the song that’s gaining serious radio air-play – This Is What I Said – and continued to run through their album’s impressive tracklist.

This harmonious four-piece have previously described their sound as ‘a kitten playing paw-hockey with a chestnut inside a guitar’ and whatever this means, it was obviously what we needed on a freezing Canberra night, the joyous sounds permeating the crowd and making them sway, trip and jive.

Cloud Control’s impressive set transfixed all, and they commanded the crowd with ease and confidence that you’d expect from seasoned professionals. Alister, Jeremy, Heidi and Ulrich played their music with a style that’s akin to the picturesque Blue Mountains where they hail from: relaxed, entrancing, dramatic and glorious, all of which had the crowd screaming for an encore. After they finished guitarist and vocalist Alistair Wright implored the crowd to come up, chat, have a beer and to buy a t-shirt ‘if you like wearing clothes’, which is exactly the sort of humorous, easy-going banter that will endear a band to its audience.

With the vibe they brought and the lively and tight set they played, Cloud Control proved that they are deserving of the accolades being thrown around at the moment. They were like a warm cup of tea, with a spoonful of honey and a dash of whisky – relaxing, chilled out and sweet while packing a hell of a punch.

Cloud Control, thank you for taking us on such a beautiful journey. Feel free to come and warm up our chilly town anytime. And if you didn’t manage to catch them on Saturday, definitely believe the hype.