Akron/Family @ AnnandaleHotel, Sydney (2/10/11)

Tue 4th Oct, 2011 in Gig Reviews

Australian band Richard in Your Mind took to the stage slowly building a heavy wall of sound, built upon several layers of distortion, creating an atmosphere of noise with an epic crescendo. The band moved through several styles including the psychedelic Tiny Colossus Face, with a fast-paced and tight performance, before eventually rooting themselves in a sound very much reminiscent of the 60s and 70s. The influence of the Beatles on the band is very in a great deal of their music, which feels almost as if it has been plucked out of a different era.

Although heavily rooted in the past, Richard in Your Mind’s sound is very much the product of a wide array of influences ranging from psychedelic bands of the 60s to more modern electronic-influenced bands. Whenever it felt as if the bands style was beginning to tire, they had no trouble mixing it up with a psychedelic noise freak-out. As the band ended their set with warm reception, as well as many punters convinced by the band’s, retro, yet modern sound.

Akron/Family began their concert with ambient effects creating a well-established mysterious atmosphere with the elements of New Weird America that the band helped define already shining through. The band opened with We All Will spouting the harmony driven, sparse textural beauty that punctuates much of Akron’s slower more reflective pieces. The band continued into Don’t Be Afraid, You’re Already Dead continuing an opening of slow and haunting melodies that established a strong ethereal atmosphere with an engaging connection made to an already mesmerized audience.

Akron’s approach to performing is as much spiritual as it is audience involved, with frequent directions to the audience to clap or dance along to certain songs, mixed with amusing commentary from Miles Seaton before River directing the audience to clap – “Come on! They did it in Brisbane.” Even as a three piece, the band were able to create richer textures and more confronting psych-infused instrumental jams adorned with tribal drumming than many significantly larger bands.

As the band moved into Island, a highlight from their latest release, they instructed and directed the audience through a meditative dance continuing their trend of constantly giving the audience an element of participation that few other live acts offer. Continuing the display of their latest material the band played the blues-infused track So It Goes demonstrating their ability to transform their sound from quiet harmonies to noise outbursts in the course of a single song. The highlight of the set, however, was in the bands astounding second half of the concert.

Playing through fan favourites Another Sky, Raising the Sparks and culminating the seamless transition between the tracks with Everyone is Guilty saw the band expressing their virtuosic charisma and talent as they created an explosive wall of sound filled with copious musical ideas, demonstrating a laudable talent for improvisation at the same time. Notably, Janssen and Seaton entered the audience with microphones to for punters to sing along with the already heavily involved set. The three songs blended together, punctuated by powerful tribal drumming from Dana Janssen, and striking guitar work from Seth Olinsky. Akron followed a progression from a mysterious and enthralling introduction, to a mesmerizing crescendo, before concluding their set with an equally distinguished extensive rendition of S/T II opener Silly Bears.

Met with a rapturous applause from such a small venue, the band returned to the stage for an encore of Meek Warrior standout Love and Space. Again, the band took four minute album track through a fifteen minute improvised-heavy; mind-bending makeover leaving the audience with a fantastic set that was reinforced by the post-encore applause.

An Akron/Family show is something that needs to be experienced to be appreciated, as it is something more than musical. The band takes their performance to a new level to integrate the crowd, with their show equally spiritual as it is musical. Akron/Family are one of music’s most innovative and distinctive acts, and certainly one to catch when they return.