Band Of Horses @ EnmoreTheatre, Sydney (29/07/10)
Mon 2nd Aug, 2010 in Gig Reviews
The hirsute Band Of Horses took to the stage at The Enmore Theatre while Rocky Mountain Way by Joe Walsh filled the hall. You could tell we were going to be treated to American music by a group that definitely can kick out country, melancholia, and anthemic rock and roll with ease. Ben Bridwell , who shares a vocal style with Jim James from My Morning Jacket, also has a band that matches them somewhat in power. Brilliant interplay of vocals and multiple guitars exploded from the stage.
Kicking off the evening with some galloping two chord, wall of sound wonders, we were given The Great Salt Lake and Is There A Ghost?. Ode To LRC was similar and really displayed Sidwell’s vocal talents. Sometimes it seemed they were lacking in solo virtuosity, but what was lacking there was made up for in the strong sense of knowing what combined sound they wanted to deliver.
With a screen behind them displaying scenes of mountains, stars, trippy graphics and footage of them at Glastonbury and on the road, it was a simple backdrop for a rock and roll band that is attempting to reinvent the musical heroes that went before them. The harmonies and lead vocals displayed by Ryan Monroe (keyboards-guitars), especially on songs like Older, were stellar. Tyler Ramsey is an excellent guitarist and he did treat us to his lap steel at one point. The pedal steel in front of Ben was not played for the entire 90 minutes they performed. It did make a good place for him to place his set-list and cigarettes.
But what sold me on this band, for this evening, was not only the big sound they were able to produce so well. It was a tip of their collective hats to a group that are obvious influences. Playing a cover an improbable cover of The Band’s Chest Fever, and making it work so well, was remarkable.
This Band Of Horses truly are going to have some more to show us over the next couple of albums and I look forward to going along for the ride.
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