Darren Hanlon, The Lucksmithsand more @ Candle RecordsShowcase, The Zoo, Brisbane,10/02/2007

Tue 20th Feb, 2007 in Gig Reviews

Candle Records are an Australian institution, but towards the end of last year, it was announced that the independent rock label would be closing its doors. One of the things Candle Records is best known for are its showcase tours, where seven, eight or even nine Candle artists will play on a single night, combining short sets with even shorter changeovers to provide a steady stream of rock for one memorable night. With its closure just around the corner, some of Candle’s best came up to the Zoo for one last showcase show, leaving punters with a smile on their faces, and maybe a tear in their hearts as well.

Mid State Orange open the last ever Showcase show, with a typically low key Candle beginning. Frontman Lucien Z B Richter walks out to the mic, says “Hello”, and then launches into a series of solo electric songs. After three of these low impact numbers, the bass player and drummer join him on stage, and they add some much needed energy to the act. They play the typical Candle jangly pop rock, but theres not much to set them apart from the field, especially tonight where the best of Candle is on display.

The Small Knives are up next, with the bass player from Mid State Orange backing up for a second set (and this won’t be the last backing up of the night either). While The Small Knives are usually a duo, tonight its a four piece act, and the addition of an accoustic guitar adds an extra layer to the music. The opening number is excellent, but unfortunately there’s a long pause after it, and the set loses some of its momentum. The Small Knives oscillate between alt-country and middle of the road rock, but they do both well, and provide an excellent sample of their forthcoming second album Smoke and Ribbons.

Rob Clarkson is a veteran of the Candle Records showcase tours, either solo or as part of his band Ruck Rover. Like a number of Candle Records alumni, he’s a madly prolific song writer, and tonight he shows off the best of his solo work, and also a few Ruck Rover classics as well. It would have been nice to see him further up the bill, but he does his best with the steadily growing crowd, and he banters in between songs with an easy charisma. He plays quirky pop with lyrics that veer betwen comedy-funny and heart wrenching, and the crowd goes along with him for every moment of it.

Anthony Atkinson is known to be a bit hit and miss when it comes to live shows, and the sound problems during the first song don’t bode well for tonight’s set. But he shrugs that off and, with his band The Running Mates, he puts on as good a show as this reviewer has ever seen him do. Its all about the alt-country, but theres no wallowing in self pity here, and there’s a good dash of traditional Candle indie folk thrown in to the mix. With the demise of Candle Records, the artists will be looking for new labels, and while the bigger artists should have no problems getting new deals, the lesser known artists need to strut their stuff at every opportunity, and thats what this band has done tonight. Songs from the new album Loyalty Songs are well received, and their set ends all too soon, with Atkinson thanking the crowd, and of course Candle Records, for their support.

Operating without the services of drummer Tim Oxley tonight, The Girls from the Clouds open and close their set with a pair of songs from their current EP Lalalalala. Early on, Into the Sun’s pacey complex riffs exposes the fact that Jodi Phyllis and Trish Young aren’t quite warmed up yet, but by the time they wrap up with Beyond the Clouds, the duo have really hit their straps.

In between they wedge half a dozen tracks full of gorgeous vocal harmonies and lucious pop arrangements from the album they’re currently recording. Chirpy, almost retro guitar tones dominate – characterised best by Mabel’s Bookshop and Do Whatever You Want – but, occasionally, darker, jangling riffs reminiscent of the duo’s heady Clouds days emerge to remind us of the pair’s edgy rock roots. The new album ought to be interesting.

Of course, most of the crowd has come out for the big Candle names, and one of the biggest is The Lucksmiths. With their standing, drumming, singing frontman Tali White, the Lucksmiths have a special air to their live shows which few bands can match. Mixing songs from their latest album with classics from their vast, VAST back catalogue (most of which is on sale at the merch desk), the Lucksmiths breeze through their all-too-short set.

The guitar work of Marty Donals and Mark Monnonne is superb, as usual, and White generates heaps of energy with his passionate drumming, moving his whole body in time with the beats. They finish their set with what is probably their biggest single, T-Shirt Weather, and although it’s a little predictable, it is still a perfect way to end their set. This band should have no problems continuing to move forward in their career, despite being the poster-boys for Candle for so long.

For some reason, a chunk of the crowd leave the venue after the Lucksmiths; evidently they were only out for one band, but it’s their loss, because arguably Candle Records’ best act Darren Hanlon is up next. He’s in solo mode tonight, and opens with a stunning version of Hold On, the opening track from his latest album Fingertips and Mountaintops, (complete with miniature guitar) and the crowd thumps along during the short period in the song when there is a drum beat required.

From there the set goes from strength to strength. Hanlon brings out the electric guitar for The Kickstand Song, and some of the other songs from Fingertips and Mountaintops are also highlights, such as Don’t Bogart My Heart and the darker new single Elbows. Happiness Is A Chemical gets the crowd dancing along, especially as Hanlon gets a drummer to race up from backstage and provide a beat. (There’s Not Enough Songs About) Squash gets a raucous cheer as Hanlon leaves the stage.

He’s back soon though, and during the break, a number of microphones have been placed on stage, indicating something special to come. Hanlon plays the first song which Candle Records ever released for him, and then invites every performer from backstage to come up. Its crowded on stage, but it works, and the Candle alumni mug their way through a wonderful version of We Are The World, ending up with all of them chanting the signature chorus. It feels a little trite, but its still a wonderful way to say goodbye to a record label that has provided fans of indie folk and pop with so many good memories.