The Mess Hall, The CityLights, Bridezilla @ TheAnnandale, Sydney (24/08/06)

Mon 28th Aug, 2006 in Gig Reviews

The Mess Hall are set to explode. After tonight’s performance you can’t help but feel that now is their time; and that the band are set to become The Next Big Thing. Playing two shows before they head over to the U.S to support Wolfmother, the Annandale fills up very quickly with people- a testament to the two piece’s ability to draw a diverse range of fans.

Bridezilla are relatively new to the scene. The unique mixture of jazz, folk and rock is a breath of fresh air from the electro dance rock that has become so popular in Sydney of late. Their talent is undeniable – vocalist Holiday transforms well live; and the combination of violin and saxophone works surprisingly well in songs.

When The City Lights hit the stage, I wonder when was the last time the band had headlined a show. Everything is there – the booming vocals, catchy hooks and tight showmanship. For a band that have been around for so long, you realise that they are yet to reach the status that some of their peers have.

Jed Kurzel and Cec Condon walk onstage in such a low key manner that it makes you wonder how the hell the two manage to blow away audience after audience every time they play. There is no awkward onstage banter during their set. It is strictly business from start to finish and when you finally do walk out of the Annandale; you feel like your ears have been raped – and you want more, now.

Their blues rock suits the intimate pub setting. The cramped stage and the smell of beer in the air adds to the electric atmosphere inside the Annandale. Frontman Kurzel sings with so much intensity, leading the audience through a blues rock odyssey.

The sound inside is perfect, allowing us to enjoy tinnitus-inducing guitar parts in songs such as Metal and Hair, Pills and Diddley. During ‘Disco 2’, Kurzel stares into the room and sings “You’re more than just another face in the crowd,” and you can feel the sexual energy in the air as all eyes are fixated on the frontman.

The Mess Hall epitomise everything that was and is so great about blues rock bands such as the Rolling Stones. The light and dark in Kurzel’s vocals that can change from a whisper to a scream sends shivers down one’s spine.

Condon on drums is a treat to watch, arms flailing, dictating the pace for the two piece. Hitting the kit with so much aggression, it is evident that the chemistry between the two is one of the many reasons why the band works so well live.

Tonight the audience hear some new material from the band, which show that the band are trying to shake off any labels that they have accumulated over the years. However, the crowd responds enthusiastically to old favourites such as ‘Lock and Load’ and ‘Holes’, mesmerised by the two piece in front of them.