Kyu, Oscar + Martin, ParkingLot Experiments @ TheWorker’s Club, Melbourne(30/10/2010)

Tue 2nd Nov, 2010 in Gig Reviews

Ever since Pete Townshend smashed his first guitar to smithereens, instrument destruction has had a long association with rock music. At the Workers Club on Saturday night the opening band, Parking Lot Experiments, put a new twist on the iconic rock ‘n’ roll gesture – involuntary instrument destruction. The band joined an elite group of musicians whose instruments were hell-bent on destroying themselves.

The rogue keyboard stand that kept giving way during their performance, however, failed to mar a high energy set of psychedelic pop. The band channel Architecture in Helsinki via the Brooklyn indie scene and took no time to get the crowd up and dancing. Their boundless energy will no doubt go down a treat with crowds over summer.

By the time Oscar + Martin (formerly Psuche) were about to take the stage, the conditions at the Workers Club had become sweltering. The venue had quickly filled to capacity with a crowd that looked like it had pillaged the local Brunswick Street Op-Shop in preparation for the event. It was a sight that had become obvious to another punter who remarked, “I feel like I’ve woken up in some sort of hipster nightmare.”

The crowd in no way reflected what was to come from Oscar + Martin though, who entertained with a set list that sounded like The Streets if Mike Skinner had grown up near a tropical beach instead of Birmingham. The duo took a few risks during the performance, which included the debut of a song they had only finished on the day. Yet, their beats and rhymes managed to win over the crowd who initially greeted the band by sitting down.

Up until Kyu took the stage, the vibe from the crowd was very much a party atmosphere. It didn’t take long for the Sydney based duo of Alyx Dennison and Frey Berkhout to whip the crowd into a more subdued and appreciative state of wonder. Kyu’s sound has been described as just about everything – from Fever Ray and Icelandic tribal music to the Lion King. It’s difficult to put it in a nutshell but lovers of atmospheric pop acts such as Grizzly Bear and Animal Collective would be advised to check them out.

Alyx and Freya opened with the haunting album track Sista. Until you’ve seen the group live, it’s difficult to pinpoint the percussion sounds on the song. It turns out not to be an instrument but the girls slapping their chests just below the collarbone to keep time. It’s one of the more unusual sights to be seen on stage as you slowly watch their skin go red from the repetition.

“Each time I play I promise I won’t talk onstage,” said Alyx before launching into the joyful pop of Trains. Fortunately she didn’t take her own advice, as her quirky sense of humour is a welcome addition to their live act.

The audience almost didn’t get to see Cyanthea Amintae, as Alyx battled with an unfamiliar guitar. “If I can’t play the twelve string don’t hate me,” she said. After a nervous start she soldiered through to deliver a fantastic rendition of the song, which would sound right at home on a Tim Burton soundtrack. Sunny In Splodges followed before the duo wrapped up the album launch with Pixiphony. The song was the highlight of a set filled with some great numbers and the tribal drum solo at the end rounded out the gig perfectly.

CHECK OUT PHOTOS FROM THE NIGHT HERE