Access All Areas with MarkMurphy + PhDJ + Rebel Yells @Home, Sydney (13/01/07)

Mon 15th Jan, 2007 in Gig Reviews

As a first timer of the new indie/alternative nights held at Home I walked in expecting a night that would match Purple Sneakers at the Abrecombie on a Friday. Sadly though the vibe when you walk into Home feels a lot more geared to those in their shiny electro gear than the t-shirt and jeans wearing indie kids, Sneakers is prone too.

For those who have never been, Home has four levels each with its own unique rooms for different genres of music. Finding the room with the band gear set up I settled into watch Sydney band The Diamond Daggers. Looking like The Strokes and sounding like a band out of your neighbours garage they were out done by the impressive backdrop of Darling Harbour. However by the end of the set they were beginning to grow on me with some great riffs, although it was all a little to late.

Realising that The Rebel Yells had just begun their set I rushed down to the ground level of Home. Full of drunken sweaty bodies, the dancefloor was bouncing as the lead singer continually self publicised his band by shouting ‘Rebel Yells’ at every available oppourtunity. The three-piece play a mash up of rock and pop tunes on top of electro beats provided by their DJ and backed up by their single guitarist. Whilst they did do a great version of The White Stripes classic Seven Nation Army everything else they played fell short and in some cases they were sounding like a cheap cover band.

The crowd were still lapping it up though, however to me The Rebel Yells were deteriorating with every track and PhDJ was a far better option on the upper floor. PhDJ a resident DJ both at Home on a Saturday and Purple Sneakers on a Friday usually plays a set consisting of indie hits with tracks that you can dance all night long too. Although the dancefloor upstairs was nowhere near as packed as the one downstairs it was much better than listening to The Rebel Yells who certainly aren’t a band I’d ever recommend.

Finishing the night listening to Mark Murphy an electro DJ who was getting the crowd going, I was actually enjoying his set. He plays a variety of electro pop with some tunes that really get you going. The sound from Home was really good and the place is really nice however it just didn’t live up to my expectations as an ‘indie night’.