The Frowning Clouds, KingGizzard and the Lizard Wizard@ GoodGod, Sydney (24/09/2011)

Tue 27th Sep, 2011 in Gig Reviews

Tucked away on Liverpool Street between Chinatown and the chaos of George Street is GoodGod Small Club. Beyond the immediate greeting of a Danceteria and the paper-mache like booths filled with pre-party punters munching down hot dogs, are the two wooden doors to the club itself. On this particular Saturday night just after 9pm, the place had a good buzz and entrance into the club meant a step into a swampy haze – a fog machine in full motion – and perhaps the perfect scene for Melbourne’s The Frowning Clouds, and King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard to take forth the stage. GoodGod is certainly a small venue, but is more cosy than cramped and as the night progressed meant the floor filled out to a good capacity – room to move but never awkward.

King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard have been causing quite the stir lately. Whether it be their unconventional lineup consisting of seven members and two drum-kits, or their psychedelic, ramped-up take on garage punk, it is needless to say all hype is warranted. Squeezing their way on to the stage, all members were there to bring the ruckus, and as the crowd slowly grew, they gave their best with gusto. Lead singer Stu writhed his way around stage, with vocals that at times were screechy and smothered in reverb, yet never contrived. The single, Black Tooth came to life in a live setting with richer harmonies, and the guitar slides brought the surf-punk aesthetic to the boil. The audience found themselves swaying in time, and as a whole brought a sense of optimism towards the remainder of the evening.

The room now vibrant, had all in attendance eager for the night to continue, making it time for The Frowning Clouds to take to the stage. Originating from Geelong, you wouldn’t be the first to liken the five-piece to another place and time, namely the sixties, and upon witnessing their live show, complete with tambourines and bowl cuts, they proved they have a serious dedication to vintage rock.

The riffs were upbeat, melodic and reminiscent of early tunes from The Rolling Stones, and laden with lyrics of lost love and harmonica solos. The new single All Night Long caused a fit of dancing to erupt within the crowd, and although effective and played with prowess, showed no distinct markers against earlier work. This could lead to suggest a lack of progression, however, it was greater to see an act with such a strong captivation for a particular sound.

While an encore was clapped on and enjoyable, a set any longer could have felt overdone. As the finale came to an end, many glimpses of grinning punters could be caught through the smoke. Who could have guessed a trip back to the sixties could be so fun?