The Drones, Adalita @ ANU Bar,Canberra (07/10/11)

Sun 9th Oct, 2011 in Gig Reviews

Friday night at the ANU Bar was a night of firsts for The Drones. It was their first gig together in over a year and also the first leg of their One Thousand Mistakes tour.

Adalita Srsen provided the perfect support for the night. Her music is more raw and sparse than in her Magic Dirt days, but her performance on Friday night was proof that she is still all rock. With holes in her black jeans, a tattoo peeking out from under her shirt sleeve and a red Gibson guitar slung haphazardly over her shoulder, she looked every part a rock goddess.

Srsen opened with the first track from her self-titled album, Hot Air, which was simple, gutsy and brooding. She was alone on stage, and the absence of drums and other instruments lent a stripped back feel to the entire set, allowing her lyrics and distinctive, deep voice to become the focus. She confessed that she was playing guitar “a little differently”, after a recent accident involving a blender and her left hand, but still managed several impressive, drawn out guitar solos throughout the set.
Her music has an undercurrent of vulnerability, which was particularly evident in Fool Around. It seemed strange to be sharing this vulnerability in such an open space with a scattered crowd, and Srsen appeared to have trouble connecting with the audience because of it. A smaller, more intimate venue might have been more appropriate for sharing such personal emotions.

After Adalita’s minimal, bare set, The Drones stormed in and shocked the audience with complex instrumentals, layered melodies and invigorating attitudes.
Vocalist Gareth Liddiard’s strength is his ability to inject emotion into his lyrics and make the audience feel exactly how he wants them to. His haunting rendition of Locust (“Georgie, I can’t stop drinking/ Seems like every time I try/ I can’t stop thinking”) could have broken hearts. The bluesy I’m Here Now alternated perfectly between emotive storytelling and high energy instrumentals. Liddiard didn’t need to speak too much between songs. The band captivated the audience with their music, rather than by making small talk or joking around.

Jezebel, with sweet backing vocals by bassist Fiona Kitschin and guitarist Dan Luscombe, was a crowd favourite. Friends wrapped their arms around each others’ shoulders and swayed to the music, disrupted only when Liddiard’s tuner broke towards the end of the set. Their final song, I Don’t Ever Want to Change, should be the rebellion anthem for twenty-somethings who don’t want to grow up. The Drones tapped into whatever energy reserves they had left and let loose. People closest to the stage even started to dance.
Things fell apart during the encore, when Liddiard ranted about former Apple CEO Steve Jobs and later forgot the words to the song he was singing. He was good humoured though, and half-jokingly threatened to go on strike if he messed up again. Eventually the band got through Sixteen Straws, and all was forgiven.

The Drones aren’t the kind of band that rely on gimmicks or tricks to stay relevant. They played good, tight music that took the audience on an emotional journey, and for the crowd at ANU Bar, that was more than enough.