Calling All Cars @ Oxford ArtsFactory, Sydney (02/09/11)

Wed 7th Sep, 2011 in Gig Reviews

Boy in a Box really looked to be enjoying themselves, really belting out their new single Moon Comes Up. Sporting a sound that somewhat resembles The Kaiser Chiefs, the Melbourne trio bounced around the stage and off each other with their fun brand of happy indie rock. Occasionally mounting his orange amp and feverishly stroking the neck of his Fender, front man Tobias Priddle got the crowd amped up in anticipation of what the night held in store.

After a break between bands that seemed to drag on for way too long, Calling All Cars finally emerged to greet a rock thirsty crowd eager to hear their old favourites as well as some new tracks off the band’s latest release Dancing With A Dead Man. The light guy for the evening has to be commended for his efforts as the smoke and lights certainly added to the atmosphere.

Having seen this threesome from Melbourne previously rock out at the Annandale some year ago, I have to say that the boys played a somewhat tame show. I expected Haydn Ing to walk along the bar top kicking beers as he played, so I was a little disappointed. Nevertheless, new tracks like Dancing with a Deadman tested well with the audience as well as the rocking track Autobiotics, which showed the band’s ability to flawlessly rock out while maintaining their solid technical skill. It was the tracks from the band’s debut effort that really got the crowd pumped as a small mosh formed at the foot of the stage as punters shouted in unison “You say that you are not like anybody!”

Disconnect was the highlight of the night as the boys finished off a great show, the kind that earned them a supporting spot alongside stone age rockers ACDC. Definitely try and get to a Calling All Cars show while they are still playing small club shows, some of the spirit and energy may get lost at an Acer arena show.