Dallas Crane is notorious for their extraordinary live presence. Formed in 1996 they have worked their asses off touring and recording albums and will release ‘Factory Girls’, their fourth album in September. I have never seen them live and am somewhat ignorant of their music. Having lived in Melbourne for years I am aware of their reputation as one of the country’s best bar room bands. Given the opportunity to see these guys I was curious to see if this reputation was warranted. That being said my ignorance of their songs cannot be rescued by grabbing their set list – so fans of Dallas Crane remember I know nothing!
The Fumes opened the evening with a compelling set. Don’t miss the chance to see this band – they are amazing! As a two-piece they make more noise than many full bands ever dream of. They are the best band I’ve seen in ages.
As The Corner filled, anticipation grew palpable: the restless punters growing more and more hungry for Dallas Crane. From the moment they walked on stage they owned the place, their experience as musicians and performers an inspiring thing to observe. They exploded into a back-to-back rendition of ‘Wrong’ and ‘Kiss It’. Short and sweet, it set the pace for the night. Working the crowd into a controlled frenzy, their experience and charisma the visible result of hard work and years of practice.
Playing their inimitable brand of tight, perfect power pop rock each song was short and sweet – no extended rock histrionics or seven-minute songs. Dave Larkin’s colossal, elastic voice easily filled the room and in each song he demonstrated his great range and charismatic presence. Pete Satchell played like a demon but with reserve and quiet skill. The real highlight for me was the beautiful four part harmonies, as all members sing – and damn well. Shan Vanderwert and Pat Bourke provide a solid backbone for the huge sound and even the quieter songs were driving and filled with power – not just volume.
The set ended surprisingly quickly. They apparently agree with Elvis – “Leave ‘em wanting more” – and the crowd did. A quick encore a couple of songs and it was all over. I particularly enjoyed ‘Ladybird’ as I could actually hear the lyrics and was impressed by their approach to the tried and true rock ‘bad girl’ song genre.
Dallas Crane is a formidable live act. They do what they do very well. They make good time, original music that you can drink and dance to, with a sound that is all their own. I have not walked away from the show a fan but I have a newfound respect for these immensely talented musicians. I respect their brevity and restraint as songwriters and their intelligence as performers – it is rare to see such consummate professionalism.
