Hitchcock's Regret @ Spectrum(04/04/2007)

Tue 10th Apr, 2007 in Gig Reviews

It was always going to be a little risky throwing an album launch on a Wednesday night, but happily, the lure of a night out with Hitchcock’s Regret was enough to break the midweek curse. First support Brian Campeau opened to a small but rapidly swelling crowd, and I’m glad I was there early enough to catch his set. Brian’s an arresting performer; he matches an exotic percussive style of playing (tapping the strings, knocking the body of the guitar) with a soaring voice which put paid to any early chatterers. When he’s on stage, a lone and humble figure pouring out his heart and ducking and weaving to his own inner muse, it’s impossible to look away, and impossible not to be impressed.

By the time second support, astreetlightsong, struck up their first song, the crowd – a blend of fans, curious newbies and familiar music industry faces – had filled the room nicely. For all their youth, astreetlightsong is a very polished outfit, accomplished musically, with a couple of stand-out tracks that have earned their increasing rotation on FBi and Rage. I overheard a couple of onlookers murmuring that the band seemed a little too earnest, too serious about their craft and looking suitably intense, but I’m happy to put that down to youthful eagerness. It’s a tough industry, these guys already know it, and they’re ready to take it on. Flickering smiles between songs belied the too-cool-for-you exterior anyway – I predict that if we give them the chance to throw a few TVs in a few hotel pools, to relax and just enjoy the ride, astreetlightsong could make it all the way.

Headliners Hitchcock’s Regret took the stage to genuinely warm and welcoming applause. Although they’re still Central Coast based, recent supports in Sydney and Melbourne for high-profile bands like The Church, iOTA and Toni Collette have raised Hitchcock’s profile, and tonight’s album launch has been eagerly awaited by their burgeoning Sydney fanbase. I’m very pleased to say that they did not disappoint. The recent two-piece lineup we’ve become used to – singer Mark Moldre and music-whiz Adam Lang – was augmented for the launch by Shane Pex on drums and Reuben Wills on bass, and the sound was appreciably richer and more intricate for their input. For those of us who have never heard the full lineup before, it was the first chance to hear familiar and favourite songs as they appear on the album, killer songs like Sparks + Rain, Happiness, Your (Apathy) Is Killing Me, and the beautiful Last Day. Just to mix it up a little, they also threw in some tracks from their older albums (Jerry, and the indescribably gorgeous Milkwood Moon), and even a few new ones (Buzzing Of Bees, and Ferris Wheel). It was a real treat for fans to see Mark break out his glorious Nashville Gretsch and let loose his Rock Beast on blistering versions of Uwontcmeanymore, and encore Buried Deep Beneath My Skin. Although it can look a little incongruous to have a gent in his Sunday-go-to-meetin’ suit kicking out the jams, it only takes a moment’s attention to hear that these guys are much more than the gentle folky/pop outfit they can sometimes appear to be. As a fan, I can only say to that: more please!

Hitchcock’s Regret proved once again to fans and novices alike that they’re a force to be reckoned with on the Sydney music scene. With their videos for Apathy, Happiness and Uwontcmeanymore all on high rotation on local radio and Rage, it’s not a question of whether these guys will make it big, only a question of when.