The Joy Formidable, StrangeTalk, Temper Trap DJs @ TheWorker's Club, Melbourne(25/07/2010)

Mon 26th Jul, 2010 in Gig Reviews

Hailing from Northern Wales, indie-rock trio The Joy Formidable made the infamously arduous trip down under to join an incredible Splendour bill, with a string of additional dates included in the tour. Entering the Worker’s Club this particular evening was a peculiar experience, in that the venue had not been afforded the attention such an event or an international act would usually summon. Instead, it was a sparse setting, an eager few gracing the cold concrete floor for a night that proved pleasantly surprising on all fronts.

Preceded by a modest, subtle DJ set from two of The Temper Trap lads were local outfit Strange Talk. Evolved from their previous Thieves Of Aon incarnation and formed in February this year, their appearance at the Workers Club was soon revealed to be their live debut. And what a beginning: the band awakening with a start, a pumping electro-pop introduction ensuing with the ensemble in full flight. They graced the stage with a standard four-piece configuration, aided terrifically by the inclusion of a Macbook hosting numerous loops and samples. It was an impressive showing from the green band, gelling together with great cohesion as well as not only looking but sounding at home on the live circuit. This features among their greatest strengths: every component of Strange Talk comes together so well.

You get the feeling they have the potential to flourish and produce a bonafide dance anthem. It’s a big call for a band just cutting their teeth, but the groundwork laid to date compels as much. One such track that gave reason for praise was Eskimo Boy, a funky synth-laced floor-filler suitably charming the Workers Club crowd. So So La La closed out the set with a catchy refrain that immediately threatened to linger on in the minds of punters long after their exit – but by then, not one person was really surprised. This evening showed that Strange Talk hold a distinct knack for melody and a pop approach that will only develop and strengthen in time. Sure, they’re not entirely fresh, but they do undoubtedly bring much to the table and they do so in a style that is sonically pleasing. A joy to witness and all in all an optimistic, promising live debut.

The crowd had built considerably throughout the course of the night, but only moments prior to The Joy Formidable, the Workers Club remained disappointingly bare. Those in attendance, however, would have the last laugh, as the evening’s headline act put on a thoroughly brilliant and entertaining showcase of their growing catalogue. Their impact was almost immediate, a wall of feedback with an array of pre-recorded rants and profanities morphed into a powerful announcement of pure, impassioned rock. First impressions boded well, an intense, spirited showing ultimately setting the tone for the rest of the night. Their second song Cradle showcased frontwoman Ritzy Bryan as the definitive rock-chick presence, leading her band mates with a fierce energy throughout the set. The beautifully untamed Austere followed, as the indie juggernaut quickly gathered speed. It would only be halted for a brief breather, the song spiralling into a buzzing, crashing finale to cue – of all things – an excerpt of poetry.

Not long passed, however, before The Joy Formidable were back to what they do best. You get the feeling that when it comes to their craft, they only know one way – and that way is full throttle, full steam ahead, one hundred percent of the time, injecting everything they’ve got into an approach that comes off so well. The trio rarely take a backward step. For some, this may heighten the monotony of their style, but to watch The Joy Formidable unleashed is an unquestionably entertaining spectacle. The band played their latest single, the stand-out Popinjay, lifted from their soon-to-be-released debut album. The crashing and crunching finale of Whirring would steal the show with utter chaos however, as the Workers Club applauded and cheered, without a doubt won over by The Joy Formidable.

It should be said that, roughly a quarter of the way into the set, the petite Bryan expressed a combination of gratitude, intrigue and genuine surprise of those who had amassed at the venue. After all, by their own admission, it can be said that The Joy Formidable remain even now relatively foreign to our shores, the trio themselves unsure if any of their current catalogue had even experienced a release in Australia. It would seem, then, that the Workers Club was among the first in Australia to be graced with the presence of these joyously relentless indie-rockers and, furthermore, it was nothing short of a delight. The Temper Trap DJs were brought back to spin another terrific selection of tunes as punters revelled in the warmth of the front bar and a gig that proved a resounding success. For those that missed out, never fear: The Joy Formidable still have their Splendour appearance and will be supporting Passion Pit early next month. And as if you needed any more persuasion, here’s something to consider: they’re called The Joy Formidable for a reason.

CHECK OUT SOME OF THE PHOTOS FROM THE GIG HERE