True Live @ Ruby's Lounge,Melbourne (24/11/06)

Thu 30th Nov, 2006 in Gig Reviews

From the minute you got into the cosy little vibe of Ruby’s and placed a beer into your hand, you could see it was going to be a big night. The “oasis in a sea of bogans” was clearly being infiltrated by a few token bogans and I’m sure they’ll learn how to dress the part soon enough. I was just happy to get there after the guy driving the car in front of me swerved from one side of the road to the other while ascending the already insane mountain road. I stayed well back and wouldn’t pass him. Just as the guy pulled over and I attempted to drive past, he pulled out wildly into my left side and just missed me. I needed that first beer, and the shot!

Idiom started off the night and, although not my cup of tea, the punters seemed to love it. Even though there were three guys with mics, they still had the chorus sampled. The lead singer carried the show and had great vocal dynamics, but he seemed to be leading the unwilling wiggles. The smiling Irish assassin on the dex showed a bit of flair but the band were a bit lacking visually.

The night started as soon as True Live hit the stage. Damn right! They came out swinging and the crowd leapt straight to their feet. I had a really bad knee and didn’t even consider sitting until we got back to the car, and even then I was still moving.

True Live are more than just hip hop. It’s hard to say just because the lyrics and vocal tend towards hip hop that the music follows. But when a three-piece string section, drum kit, and keyboards start heading into some tricky jazz then you really need a new name for this stuff. Otherwise, True Live unfairly get lumped in with all the other crap at JB Hifi, that has rap or hip hop lyrics over a computer-automated beat everyone else has already used. It’s a “fusion of organic orchestral sounds and beat heavy, hook-laden, bass thumping rhythms” as it says in the bio. I couldn’t argue with that. The string section laid down monster grooves that made you nod and it was party time.

These guys are all serious musicians – they could slow down, speed up and flaunt flawlessly intricate dynamics and navigate key changes that were made to sound like they were always there. This would normally take a bit of focus and practice but it just seemed like second nature for True Live.

The front man, Ryan “RHyNO” Ritchie from Melbourne, is a singer, songwriter and producer, possessing vast experience that makes him a very comfortable person in the spotlight. I didn’t ask where he got the name, but I will venture my opinion and say that these guys play it live with no crap, no backing tracks or glorified karaoke. The presence of RhyNo on stage was the main focus, but really you needed to watch the whole band. They rocked! Call it what you want, new pop with soul, jazz, hip-hop, R’n’B or rock with a subtle roots influence, but don’t label it until you’ve seen True Live live.