British India, Boy In A Box,City Riots @ ANU Bar, Canberra(2/4/11)

Mon 4th Apr, 2011 in Gig Reviews

Saturday night stole the title of weekend highlight as British India set up stall at the ANU Bar for an experience that had all the excitement and adrenaline of the band’s humble garage beginnings.

Adelaide indie rock outfit City Riots kicked the entertainment off for the few who had materialised so early in the night. Playing initially to a small bunch congregated before the stage – a somewhat stark contrast to their supporting slot for Smashing Pumpkins late last year, City Riots confidently took stage and played a tight and intriguing set. Of notable interest the frail, ethereal lead guitar tones at times played over otherwise upbeat, optimistic rock, creating a unique sound both innovative and refreshing. By a few songs in City Riots managed to entice a strong crowd over from the bar, picking up the pace and finishing with strong approval from the audience.

Tij Priddle and his band Boy In A Box assumed the spotlight shortly after; declaring “We are Boy In A Box and we have come to fuck shit up.” Overcoming minor sound issues, Boy In A Box showed their worth, building up fervent and explosive energy with a sterling rendition of The Clash’s I Fought The War, calling up the assistance of members from both *City Riots and *British India for an on stage spectacle that brought out the inner bobbing chicken head in everyone.

By this stage the beer was a lot slipperier and harder to keep in the plastic cups, with a good portion being donated to the increasingly sticky floor. Those lucky enough to have been sitting near the pool tables in between acts were granted witness to a bit of good old fashioned biffo from some of the more drunk bogans who had seemed to flock en-masse to the ANU Bar on the night. Whilst no sideshow entertainment eventuated, it was a nice feeling knowing that Canberra isn’t all that boring and something so trivial as a bar fight can occur every now and then.

The sounds of the Wu Tang Clan faded from the PA as Melbourne’s British India jumped on stage to raucous applause. Dressed as if they’d just got home from school and started jamming at a mate’s house one afternoon, British India broke into a set that touched on their entire still burgeoning discography, demonstrating the enthralling evolution of a band whose sound draws from a wide and varied number sources of often conflicting inspiration. British India stood alone in their performance on the night, almost effortlessly getting a strong and even almost over-excessive pit firing – a few dudebro’s figuring it’d be a great idea to force a circle pit. Crowd surfing ensued as British India covered what is almost a quintessential generation anthem in The Offspring’s Self-Esteem, thankfully offering a rendition that was marinated in the trademark British India flavour.

Watching British India perform and bring their music to visceral, breathing life is a rewarding experience. The band played with a sense of authenticity and integrity that is still lacking in contemporary music; rather than rip off another band’s sound, British India twist, bend and contort the sonic landscape they exist within, morphing their sound into a truly unique and progressive new paradigm for indie music, or just rock and roll in general.