Gotye, Oscar + Martin @ ThePowerhouse, Brisbane (9/10/11)

Mon 17th Oct, 2011 in Gig Reviews

Oscar + Martin managed to create quirky yet clever experimental pop music from the corner of the stage they were cooped in. The duo used about a fifth of the huge stage set up, but still produced an impressive sound that the audience couldn’t ignore. A few songs in, instead of counting down the seconds for the headliner, the crowd looks at each other in disbelief, wondering where these guys came from. Melbourne boys Oscar Slorach-Thorn and Martin King demonstrated their sweet harmonies, and with the help of a guest vocalist performed a catchy version of their recent single Do the Right Thing. After a debatable rap breakdown about falling in love with a mermaid, Wally De Backer joins the duo on stage for a tribal drum jam. Needless to say this amped-up the audience a tad. Oscar + Martin were more than deserving of this support act slot for Gotye’s Making Mirrors Tour, and I don’t think this will be the last we see of them.

Appropriately opening his set with the short but sweet Making Mirrors, Gotye conducts the 11-piece orchestra with his back to the audience. It takes some time to fully digest the amount of percussionists, instruments, projection screens and tech guys on stage. With snippets of the animated characters from the film clip projected on screen and possible overkill from the smoke machine, De Backer performs hypnotic versions of Eyes Wide Open and Smoke and Mirrors- both with impeccable sound that vibrated the Powerhouse venue.

Demonstrating his never-ending musical ability, Gotye effortlessly juggles vocals, drums and anything else within his reach, while performing the heavily synthesized State of the Art. Between the tracks Easy Way Out, Feeling Better and Save Me, the pace is picked up with solos from the electric mandolinist and De Backer on African-esque percussion drums. This is contrasted with a haunting performance of Don’t Worry We’ll Be Watching, which included an eery clarinet solo.

Much to the audience’s disappointment, De Backer announces that Kimbra won’t be joining him on stage for this next track, and invited the audience to fill in. This launched the theatre into belting out the lyrics to album hit Somebody That I Used to Know. Before the audience had time to cease their applause, they were already being mesmerized by the unforgettable track Hearts a Mess. The spellbinding lighting combined with the pitch perfect sound Wally De Backer was projecting through the intimate theatre was mind-blowing. The bass was bone rattling and no doubt there was goose bumps all round.

Gotye and his mini-orchestra returned to the stage after the audience continuously stamped and demanded an encore, treating us to the up-beat track In Your Light. Finishing his set with old favourite, Learnalilgivinanlovin. Gotye invited Oscar + Martin back on stage for a jam and the stage looked like one big musical festivity, I was just waiting for confetti to fall from the ceiling. It’s no surprise this guy sold out his four Queensland shows, the diverse demographic at the Powerhouse this afternoon just proves that Gotye delivers something for everyone.