Sparkadia, Oceanics @ BirdeeNum Num, Brisbane (27/06/11)

Mon 4th Jul, 2011 in Gig Reviews

The Monday night double feature at Birdee Num Nums was shouted by Carlton Dry’s Thank God It’s Monday series– a more than welcome bonus, and just one of the reasons behind the capacity crowds that filled the open-air bar from early in the night. DJ Charlie Hustle provided a warm up that was more like an entire show, as he played a medley of the wonders of the ‘80s and ‘90s and incited many a sing-a-long before a single band had graced the stage, as well as long into the night. Major kudos.

Before long, The Oceanics were greeted by an excited crowd and left them on a raging high. How is that possible? They were at the top of their game, consistently belting out indie-pop deliciousness that had the crowd dancing from start to finish. What’s more, the boys looked to be enjoying themselves as much as their audience, frequently skipping around bottles that were strewn across the stage, occasionally referring to the set lists that were scribbled on the cardboard that said bottles came in. Standout tracks included Romancer and 12 Dollar Specs, both with catchy beats and seemingly effortless guitar solos. The soulful screams of lead vocalist Elliot Weston were a personal favourite, and were not unlike those heard on early albums of The Kooks – that could never be a bad thing. Keep an eye on these boys with their mismatched clothes and Gibson guitars, as they’re completely Winning with their live performances.

The crowd was more than ready for Alex Burnett and his fellow members of Sparkadia to jump on stage, however the technical support weren’t ready for them, it seemed. The lengthy ordeal with the faulty lead microphone and a few drum swap-overs only heightened the excitement for the opening and title track of their latest album, The Great Impression. It only went upwards from there, as they weaved seamlessly through the likes of Too Much To Do, and they were greeted by a crowd of camera phones when playing Talking Like I’m Falling Down Stairs, their acoustic-infused version of Love Less Love, and China. The crowd favourite was undoubtedly the stellar track Mary which saw gig-goers singing at the top of their lungs, some Elvis-esque moves from Burnett and a final serenading of some lucky front-rowers who Alex sang with on bended knees. Perfection.

Special mention must go to bassist Blue May, whose broken foot did not hinder his performance but did provide a great opportunity to discuss an assuredly amazing motorcycle accident that occurred whilst performing stunts for an upcoming movie. Apparently.

Cheers to Carlton Dry – they sure know how to put on a priceless show. Literally.