Boy & Bear @ Fowler's Live,Adelaide (07-10-10)

Sat 9th Oct, 2010 in Gig Reviews

Teeming with underage kids, Fowlers fills quickly. Teenagers have flocked to the stage in masses, secure their view. Enter Passenger. He stands, pauses, begins to strum. And something happens because the masses usually don’t care much for support acts… His music is simultaneously heart-warming and heart-wrenching, genre-hopping from pop to roots to folk. The sincerity of his lyrics hit you like a sock-full of pennies. A seemingly fitting analogy, as he has busked across Australia, America and the Kingdom…. These journeys have undoubtedly beautified his lyrics, which are instantaneously endearing, amusing and intelligent. He jokes that his music is inherently depressing, claiming he doesn’t get asked to play many parties. His affable character would suggest otherwise… His aura fills the room, enfolding every person, drawing them into a world so genuine, so refreshing, that you cannot resist the lure. It is both strange and suitably impressive to watch a support act do more than merely warm the crowd in preparation for the headlining act; Passenger shines in his own right. He covers Simon & Garfunkel and sings a gloriously humorous little number about how dreary the weather is in England. Boy & Bear join him on stage, only they all climb into the crowd where people separate to let them in, and then proceed to crowd around them like pilgrims. They sing without microphones but their voices are powerful, honest, touching. Passenger deserves every ounce of love the crowd has bestowed upon him tonight. Check out Flight Of The Crow, the awe-inspiring result of his collaborations with Aussie artists such as Lior, Josh Pyke, Boy & Bear, Kate Miller Heidke and Cameron Potts (Dead Letter Chorus). Tonight, sincerity and humility have a stage name… Passenger. Mark down the 23rd Nov and get yourself to the Grace Emily for his debut headline Aussie tour.

Hailing from Perth, The Chemist recently supported the Silversun Pickups and Birds of Tokyo at the Thebby. I was drawn to them like Pooh to honey after experiencing that set. Having received much JJJ play over the past few months, this four-piece is destined for big things. The warmth and depth of *Ben Witt*’s falsetto is something from the storybooks. Hamish Rahn produces bass-lines which leave you reeling in their vigour and funk for hours. Along with James Ireland on keys and Elliot Smith on drums, the band are one tight unit and live, they lack nothing. Highlights are Lullaby #1 (Mercy ), End of July and Things Have Changed. Their tunes will undoubtedly epitomise the upcoming summer for many younger kids. A minor criticism relates to their end-of-show display, which sees all members apart from front-man Ben leave the stage. There is too much feedback as Ben sings and the result has me making mental comparisons to a noisy helicopter… Perhaps I’m just missing the point, but the display appears somewhat indulgent and arguably loses some of the crowd, detracting from their otherwise splendid performance. Their EPs Lullabies and The Wolves’ Howls Shatter The Old Glass Moon are lyrically unique, and filled with rad tunes and a sprinkling of striking falsettos. Be sure to catch them again on the 12th Nov at the Ed Castle as part of their ‘Lullabies and Other Lies’ tour.

On a stage which is to be bathed in simple light throughout the ensuing set, enter Dave Hosking, Killian Gavin, Tim Hart and Jake Tarasenko of Boy & Bear. Together, with the force of their respective powers, they are one of Sydney’s greatest indie/roots/folk bands to date. The band consists of three front-men of separate bands, which has undoubtedly influenced their stage presence and ability to transcend most genres. This is their first headline tour, in celebration of the release of their debut EP, With Emperor Antarctica, which was recorded over 10 days in Byron. Previous tours have seen the boys play alongside artists such as Angus & Julia Stone, Hungry Kids of Hungary, Lisa Mitchell and Laura Marling. Boy & Bear are at times reminiscent of Ryan Adams (minus the drug use), and with the addition of plentiful harmonies. Dave Hosking states: “we wrote a country song”, and the execution is all too believable, proving this band excel at more than just your typical folksy roots deal. The highlights are too many to name, but the vocals during The Rabbit Song are simply breathtaking, and the crowd makes their reverence known with a thunderstorm of applause. For House & Farm, bassist Jake Tarasenko and drummer Tim Hart swap roles, showcasing their mutual talents. Jake is clad in a nerdy, ‘Maurice Moss’ type shirt, buttoned high. Thankfully, it does not impact on or impair his musical abilities. Passenger joins the boys onstage for one song, and the air is thick with solidarity and love. The camaraderie between the bands on tonight’s bill is enriching, and makes you appreciate the comparative downfalls of many other shows. Dave states that as a band, they have unanimously decided against performing encores. But their set is rich both musically and lyrically, and leaves the crowd sated. And when the boys thank you, it is convincing. Goodnight Adelaide, you shall sleep well tonight.

Setlist (Boy & Bear):
Storm
Blood
My Herron
Golden Jubilee
Rabbit Song
Dearest of All
Rain
House & Farm
Flume
River Meets The Sea
Mexican Mavis
Acoustic