Human error (this human) meant I missed Sugar Army. But regrets are not worth lingering on, for a tight bundle of electricity had manifested itself on stage in the form of The Silents. They can outgrow themselves by the end of a set. The axis of energy between the smiling drum machine who one day may dare to play it like it’s dirty and the frontman who threatens to disappear at any moment is surely the basis for The Silents getting a scent of what they have long deserved. And if you can keep up you might want to buy some new sunglasses because it’s not all velvet here — these boys are playing for keeps.
Gremlins and ghosts can be overcome with a smile and a song. If you are lucky, that song will be by Starky, whose writing chops can be seen from space. Perhaps it was the Very Sunday Vibe, perhaps it was the string of technical glitches, but the fact that the Sydney quartet was not as shiny as their inlay would have you believe worked heavily in their favour, bemusement colouring their charm.
The sound is reminiscent of The Killers (and thus everything they remind you of) with a Donnie Darko feel but these boys are instantly more loveable. The crowd took about half a second to take the band up on their invitation to help them out by moving forward, concentrating the energy at the front of the room.
Vocalist Beau Cassidy could be mistaken for a superhero on stage, and the caliber of the entire band shone through effortlessly. The warm rapport between band members was instantly noticeable and they seemed more than happy to have the crowd enter their beautiful circle of Rock ‘n’ Love.
With only two albums to draw material from, there was no threat of anyone missing out on a favourite. Tracks like Hey Bang Bang and Saturday Night, Sunday Morning got the punters going, then a sudden and haunting partial cover of Bizarre Love Triangle let the magic flow. Is This How It Ends? was a personal highlight . . . and the answer is certainly not. This is only the beginning.
Starky’s songs are like a treasured map of where we have all been — annotated with cherished memories and flagging the direction of future adventures, dripping with excited anticipation of where they might lead us. I’m keen and welcome the trajectory. Kudos.
