Local Natives, Leader Cheetah,The Paper Scissors @ TheMetro, Sydney (10/2/11)

Fri 11th Feb, 2011 in Gig Reviews

The Paper Scissors were opening the night, but their songs washed over all but a select few in the cavernous Metro. The band played to its strength as opposed to its audience, although this veteran trio has probably seen the best and the worst in its time. Raucous stabs of distortion and swagger kept the energy from waning.

Leader Cheetah looked as if they’d travelled from the previous Local Natives gig on horseback when they walked onstage. Within two songs they were already sweating a professional lustre that never became too slick or too polished – moreover, they were just incredibly accomplished showmen, despite “being away for a while” to write the follow up to their The Sunspot Letters debut. Americana and especially Neil Young are obvious influences, but the dusty vibrato of frontman *Dan Crannitch*often rolled beyond those plains. Tracks from that release were often reworked here, with the addition of a fifth member on violin weaving new textures into Bloodlines and My Alibi. Newer songs were often the standouts, as bass and drums became a powerhouse that stormed over the growing crowd.

Local Natives met all the hype by the end of Camera Talk – and that was just their first song. With just one undeniably good album of songs to choose from, their show moved from strength to greater strength. Centrepiece Shapeshifter was biblically themed and just as huge, while Who Knows, Who Cares was as glorious as the Californian sun. They returned for a slinky encore rendition of Cards And Quarters, and an absolutely wild Sun Hands, with distorted guitar rocking over rim shot clicks and an explosion of tribal drumming.

Not enough can be said for the simplicity of what Local Natives do and how well they do it. There are no tricks, just well written music that evokes sunlit lands – perfect for the summer.