Built To Spill @ MetroTheatre, Sydney (29/12/2010)

Fri 31st Dec, 2010 in Gig Reviews

It’s always a little unfortunate to walk into a curtained-off Metro Theatre, particularly when there’s a group as celebrated as Built To Spill playing. Perhaps it’s a casualty of a super-competitive summer, or maybe the limbo between Christmas and NYE catches plenty of punters on holidays or hibernation. In any case, we’re in intimate mode tonight.

The somewhat early start time doesn’t help Bearhug either, who emerge to a spotty crowd and a couple of enthusiastic mates at the front. The crowd swells during their 45min set though, and the set progresses accordingly. While they seem a little jittery at first, they soon lock into some great guitar-driven indie rock. The set seemed like a work-in-progress at times, with the band obviously having fun but not quite reaching full flight. But they have some great songs and a really enjoyable sound in the vein of American indie (think My Morning Jacket and Pavement), making them well worth coming early and a band to keep a close eye on in 2011.

There’s a certain humility evident in Built To Spill that’s almost confronting when they begin setting up their gear after Bearhug’s set. And it’s heightened when they kick off the set without fanfare, before scheduled time, without even leaving the stage.

The set took a while to click, and at first it felt a bit joyless. But fan fave The Plan got people moving and the band soon reached one of its peaks with the wistful Twin Falls and its guitar freakout cousin Some. The band seemed most in their element with the jammier, extended numbers, and frontman Doug Martsch dominated with some spectacular guitar solos. The band as a whole were incredibly tight, and made already big songs sound huge. And what songs they were – their two hour set was full of hits, with Distopian Dream Girl, Carry The Zero and closer Broken Chairs being particular highlights.

But yet, there seemed to be a slight element missing. Perhaps Built To Spill just aren’t a particularly charismatic band. But they seemed to lack a sense of humour throughout the evening, and spent minimal time chatting to the crowd, which isn’t always a bad thing, but for a group that specialise in fist-pumping, guitar driven college rock, it felt a little as though they were holding back. But that’s a minor gripe for what was otherwise a great show.