New kids on the block I Heart Hiroshima kicks-tart the festivities with their impressive take on three-piece pop-rock. Rippling rumour mills around town since they debuted a few weeks ago, they take the stage for their third performance and rip through an offering of songs with disinterested confidence. Male and female vocalists compliment each other over clanging guitars and thick drums. At moments girly, my mind runs from Fred Schneider to The Kills in trying to draw a comparison.
Next up is The Mean Streaks who, despite shopping debut EP Can You Vouch up and down the coast over the past few weeks, appear wide-eyed and enthused (perhaps it’s the early hour). Leading lady Jean Nicotine opens wide and counts down before launching in a roaring version of Neon in which the band fill out the sound of the old church. Despite being a little messy, shrill screams, shredding guitar and animalistic drumming permeate into the crowd throughout their set. Jean’s ‘Oh so you like that?’ is endearing while the boys are sure to set trends with their socks over pants look – watch out.
In the blink of an eye yet another act are on stage, this time it’s The Rational Academy. Slowing down the fast pace set by the previous two acts they merge solemn melodies with intricate guitar work, switching between female and male vocalists with ease. Despite being bass-less, this element is not missed and their guest-starring drummer (care of Blonde Cobra) does a great job at adding to the band’s non-intrusive sound. To me The Rational Academy pose an unanswerable question and leave it up to the audience to find the answer.
A look at my watch and I can hardly believe how early it is. But with six acts to follow it’s time for the next. All the way from the US, Dear Nora wasn’t originally on tonight’s bill but after she wowed crowds on Friday night an encore was needed. Gracious and scathingly intimate she performs sans stage and people gather around. As her voice echoes the venue it takes on the style of a personal narrative, intermitted by flecking guitar. An ode to her girlfriend gets a chuckle from the crowd and before I know it loud claps farewell this talented performer.
Three leggy ladies and one tall, hatted drummer parade on stage next. The Young Professionals, on loan from Melbourne, do their best to channel what’s left of the grunge era, however musically they fall a little short. Sure they look good, and their blasé, here to impress attitude make for a lively show however the early 90s are best let be in my opinion. Kudos for effort though.
Iron On love the audience and the audience loves them. What’s not to like really? Indie-pop is in good form tonight and Brisbane’s beloved four-piece charge head on into an enthusiastic set. The band has great interplay, they whole-heartedly enjoy performing, and this makes the show a pleasure to watch. An infection of handclaps spreads quickly throughout the masses but this just brings the momentum up a few more notches. Fizzy beats and drifting melodies make this performance the most energetic yet.
Solo MC-diva Macromantics is, as she says she is, ‘larger than life’. Definitely my pick of the bunch from the night, Macromantics is a confident master of her craft – wielding words as weapons and slotting them into place as part of her clever plan. She moves up and down, left and right across the stage whipping the crowd shape and professing her message proudly. Tight rhymes, even a go at acapella, this girl has got it going.
When they’re not worrying about technical difficulties or lack of foldback, Melbourne’s Love of Diagrams have moments of pure genius. However tonight, their constant stop-start approach in want of technical perfection tarnishes their overall performance. Despite this, the band play songs off their latest EP We Got Communication (surprisingly minus the title track) as well as a plethora of unrecorded material. Easily one of the most adored underground acts in Australia, they carve out a unique niche for themselves – melodic bass married with abstract and instrumental guitar and riff-based drumming. Here’s hoping next time they have better luck.
It’s nearing midnight and a brown-haired woman clad in safety-gear, sipping out of a mug sets up on stage. There’s only one act left and so as a matter of deduction this has to be English singer-songwriter Scout Niblett, however different she may look from her jubilant, bike-riding press photo. She begins with a soft guitar solo, before a drummer takes the stage with her (who draws considerable attention in his own right). Timid, however confronting, the dramatic drums fill the quiet spaces in between Scout’s loud, plumming guitar and wailing vocals. Her performance is littered with folk elements and as she moves through levels of volume, silence places emphasis on what’s to come. Taking seat in the drummer’s chair she plays a break-beat drum solo, her talent evident in her quirkiness and fierce reverence – “Yeah, motherfuckers”.
A top act to end what has been an outstanding night. Ladyfest has been a success.
