Wasted, I climb the stairs toward a very special event, a mixed display of spectacular light and sound. Revolver’s cavernous insides blossom out as I round the corner at the top landing. Within seconds I see this is a very big crowd, blending well into the dark band room. Human forms climb on the couches for a better vantage point. They whoop and shout and natter in black.
Sam, guitarist, thanks every one of us for coming tonight, helping them make their music video, supporting Sydonia throughout the last three years while they occupied their current form. Memorably, he tells his favourite crowd pleaser, “Two snowmen are standing outside, one turns to the other and says ‘do you smell carrots?’” With that and some extra thanks we are shown the finished product of months of work. Their new video. Its slick and smooth, request it soon on Rage and Channel [v], or watch on www.publicrevolution.com.
Sydonia approach the mics, the amps and the drums, pick up their instruments and move on from foreplay. ‘Adornment’, sung as Dana does with his dramatic, romantic wail, casts the crowd to a distant place constructed in their imaginations like a collective thought bubble. Adam and Sam beat the drums conducted by Sean. It’s a practiced, slick show. Every beat hits its mark. Their percussion setup is what sets Sydonia apart from other Australian groups and they have paid for it, lugging their p’tang and sundry other bits and pieces across the country.
The crowd finish swaying in time, and continue to holler and whoop. Sydonia launch into ‘I Will Not Serve’ and ‘No Woman’s Land’ rounding out their triplet introduction to the forthcoming release. They sound clear at Revolver, their full and muddy guitars ringing out of the speakers in high definition. Sean clacks and bhooshes on the kit. ‘3 Tongues’, ‘Taste More’ and ‘Sorry’ follow, proving the band can match their studio finery live.
Sam isn’t finished. More jokes come out. He cavorts and plays inside his imagination as people scream out requests for ‘Dreamkiss’ and ‘that one about the goldfish’ (two goldfish are sitting in a tank, one says to the other ‘you man the turret, I’ll drive’). But the time for the standard audience – band relationship has passed. A new and risky process has begun, with Sean taking the lead Sam invites “all the drummers in the audience” to come up on stage to form the mondo drum extravaganza. Floor toms and the entire percussion set of Sydonia are offered to the interlopers, and Sean begins with whatever comes to mind to start a 15 drummer orchestra. Sam coaxes punters and drummers alike to play from the front of the stage.
The conclusion of the drum set signifies the end of the entire show, but the audience aren’t moving, the atmosphere of participation galvanises the crowd to shout personal requests for their favourite Sydonia songs. “Dana, come on!” says one crowd member and the whole band obliges with ‘Dreamkiss’.
Having accomplished so much behind the scenes, Sydonia have all this to show for it. Their mood onstage is like a proud parent. As they pack up people stick around to ask questions and generally mill around. Drum sticks litter the stage. The vibe is good for a band that deserves their future success.
