Emma Carton was a very low-intensity start to the night, and to be honest, was fairly uninspiring. Thin sound, like a lukewarm Missy Higgins, kept the crowd very much in anticipation of the main acts. Her guitar cut out to end the show, probably for the best and fairly indicative of the set.
Hot Liquid Sex, despite the slightly misleading name, put on a solid (if very un-sleazy) performance for the good sized audience at the Troubadour. The all-girl band was polished and fun, and the punters appreciated their surf-pop. Their bass player deserves recognition for some really innovative basslines, but really, the whole band put in a solid performance and came across a lot more impressively than I had imagined they would.
Offcuts got the crowd at the Troub on their feet immediately, which is no easy feat. The harmonica strain of Diamond Bike seemed to be a pied piper call, with everyone rushing to the front of stage. From there till the end of the set, they put on a great show, bluesy high-energy show, with plenty of bounce and plenty of crowd banter. They’re one of those bands where even if you wouldn’t classify yourself as a huge fan, you’ll still have an excellent time. It was a cavalcade of hits, so much so that their best known track Break it down (James Brown) was just one of the highlights in the set rather than a stand out. They’re tight, jumpy and upbeat, with plenty of talent, everything you could ask for.
It was obviously hot on stage, with the singer/bassplayer losing his singlet (the hat stayed) and implored the crowd to follow suit. It may not be this reviewers cup of tea, but there were plenty of punters who were happy to follow [birthday] suit. The set was rollicking, and they include what they describe as a ‘first time ever’ double rendition of Diamond Bike to the adoring crowd. There was plenty of confidence from the band in the show, as well as a great amount of showmanship from the guitarist, who took off through the crowd and jumped onto the bar for one track. They’re a band that feels very comfortable in their performance, and seem genuinely appreciative of the welcoming crowd, promising to return. As is now customary at gigs for reasons unknown, the band ‘finish’ long enough for a quick swig of beer – although the guitarist should get points for trying to add a bit of drama “Come on guys, make some noise, you know I want to keep going, but they’ll only come back if you go nuts!” After an anxious 30 sec wait, they returned to stage, and layed down the loping Triple J hit Cold Morning Happiness, and even invited everyone onstage for one of the encore tracks. A great fun show and a band to catch next time they come round.
