The Go! Team, North East PartyHouse @ The Corner, Melbourne(10/05/2011)

Thu 12th May, 2011 in Gig Reviews

On first glance, North East Party House seem like the type of contrite indie band I love to hate. To my surprise though, appearances can be deceiving. In spite of a singer wearing a teddy bear hood and putting on a Jiggleypuff costume mid set and a guitarist wearing shorts and boots on this particularly chilly Melbourne evening, musically the band impress. Mixing dark psychedelia with dance beats and Bloc Party-esque vocals, NEPH are nothing if not infectiously energetic. While synths and catchy little guitar hooks weave and dance around the room, it is the driving force of the bass player with his thick riffs that tie everything together, giving it all a consistency other wise lacking in their erratic yet groove laden anthems. Of particular note is Embezzler; its hushed growls, shouts and spooky rhythms offsetting the singer’s vocals. By the time they close the small crowd are coming out of their shells, beginning to join in on the band’s energy. North East Party House are well worth a listen, just don’t judge them on first impressions.

In between acts Purple Sneakers DJ’s appear to the side of stage, mixing short fast recent songs loosely and profusely. No one seems to pay them any more attention than house music, however, talking loudly amongst themselves. The DJ’s don’t seem to mind, frequently high-fiving each other over who knows what.

When The Go! Team do appear, a flood of bodies has filled in the cracks and rapturous anticipation greets them. Opening with T.O.R.N.A.D.O., the band get the pulse going early with their patent mix of hip hop, dance and rock and Ninja’s distinct playground jump rope rhyming style. Grip Like A Vice, off second album Proof of Youth, keeps the grooves flowing with Ninja dancing constantly and hypnotically around stage in sweat pants. All the while, guitarists leap around her and it seems no one in the band is ever stationary.

Rolling Blackouts and Voice Yr Choice see the band begin a shifting rotation between instrumentation. The former features down-tempo My Bloody Valentine-like shoegaze interspersed with vocals from Kaori Tsuchida, while the latter sees her returning to keys. Other than Ninja and Jaime Bell on bass, it’s impossible to pinpoint a member to a primary instrument with guitars, two drum kits, keys, vocals, melodicas and even a typewriter swapping hands freely at the drop of a hat.

Ladyflash, from debut album _ Thunder, Lightning, Strikem_ gets an almighty response and anyone who wasn’t already finds themselves dancing. Ready to Go Steady sees the third vocalist Chi Fukami Taylor take to the mic and the xylophone even make an appearance. Yet whenever Ninja isn’t front and centre, it tends to be at the expense of the band’s energy and charisma. Huddle Formation begins as an elaborate instrumental with the focus on Ian Parton’s warped harmonica and Sam Dook’s high pitched banjo. The Running Range and Bottle Rocket are received euphorically while Buy Nothing Day reminds of Shonen Knife’s distinct brand of Japanese Pop Punk.

Closing with the final track from their most recent album, Back Like 8 Track, the band return shortly thereafter with a rockin instrumental before entering into the encore proper with Apollo Throw Down. Keys to the City is then left to conclude a loud, energetic and ultimately entertaining evening.