With Rock The Bay the week before, and its organiser Saltar Hype’s fifth birthday celebrations in this particular week, the last two weekends of February were a veritable feast for fans of the bountiful Australian alternative rock scene.
Black and White are an enigmatic mob. All the music is written and recorded by a bloke who doesn’t play live with the band. They play a highly energetic fusion of electronica with full-bore rock, and it works an absolute treat. Their songs are ultra catchy and completely in-your-face all at once. A few technical issues hindered their set a little this night, which was unfortunate, but they still filled the Hi-Fi with a wall of sound, and put on a highly energetic performance.
Just as eclectic are Melbourne prog stalwarts Sleep Parade. These guys have an old school ‘look’ about them, and also bring strong influences from the progressive music of yesteryear to the fold. The overall sound is still modern however, and they rolled out a few numbers from their upcoming sophomore album. Frontman Leigh Davies is an absolute pocket dynamo, and it’s always a pleasure to watch him play lead guitar with his teeth and fling himself all over the stage. Another band with a massive sound. I can’t wait for that next album.
This must have been the tenth or 12th time I have seen Engine Three Seven over the past few years, and I never get sick of them. Their live set is just so consistently entertaining, professional and plain killer. After so many shows together these guys are so tight together that it’s actually a joy to behold. Is there a more engaging act on the Australian live circuit at the moment? In this humble opinion, there is not. Lucky I caught them this night though, as they’re apparently on a break from the live scene for at least six months to work on their debut album. Again, can’t wait.
I left yet another Melbourne live venue with yet another warm glow inside, happy that we still have some of the best live bands on the planet in this city.
BY ROD WHITFIELD
LOVED: Everything.
HATED: Nothing.
DRANK: Many beers.
