A sign above the entrance to The Tote’s band room reads: FULL HOUSE, YO. Between the BIGSOUND hype, a sustained radio push and a hell of a debut record, people recognise that Gold Class are on the brink of something big.
It’s refreshing when a band choose a diverse set of supports that sound nothing like themselves. Opening act The Shifters play off-kilter folk four-chord folk tunes corrupted (and enhanced) by presence of a wild fiddle-player. Mollusc channel KMFDM and Nine Inch Nails, imbuing their pre-programmed beats and industrial guitars with a nuanced and warm sensibility. Deep Heat never drop below 160 beats per minutes and deliver a polished set of rapid-fire post-punk that’s bursting with energy and so fucking righteous.
Hordes of people file into the band room from the courtyard while Gold Class’ three instrumentalists set up their gear. It’s so cramped that every single body is touching and we’re all dropping sweat. Vocalist Adam Curley quickly slinks on stage during soundcheck only to disappear seconds later, but in those moments there’s the slightest hush in conversation. You can almost hear a myth being made.
The lights dim and he takes the mic to a glowing reception, offering a quiet “hello” before Mark Hewitt pounds the snare for the opening of Furlong. Curley’s baritone sounds even more captivating in person. After an exhausting rendition of Michael, he addresses the crowd: “I feel like this is the first time we don’t have to introduce ourselves. For the record, we’re Gold Class.”
Part of Gold Class’ appeal is the way everything fits together. The Joy Division comparison is overdone, but on a mechanical level, it’s apt: Gold Class’ four sonic elements sound incongruous, as if created in isolation, yet they coalesce into a sum far greater than its constituent parts, underpinned by a vital tension that’s never fully released.
On stage, that tension is channelled through Curley’s compelling performance. At once effortless and pained, he carries himself with a cool, steely confidence, but his persona is all business; there’s little banter between songs, and his glassy stare remains fixed on the back of the room the entire night. He’s the clear focal point of the four, but Gold Class are anything but a one-man show – Jon Shub’s basslines thunder throughout the Tote, Evan James Hewitt’s brittle riffs sound even more vital than they do on record, and Mark Hewitt’s understated brilliance on the drums keeps the whole thing together.
Perverts and Life as a Gun get the biggest reaction, but the highlight is the finale: the live debut of Shingles (Stay a While). Hewitt swaps his guitar for a keyboard and Curley drops the vocal affectation for a raw and haunting rendition of the quartet’s most moving song. The last note rings out and the four embrace centre-stage, looking proud and accomplished. As the crowd files out, there’s this feeling in the air – like this is going to be one of those shows we’ll be asking each other about for years: were you there?
By Matthew Tomich
Highlight: Hearing four completely different bands.
Lowlight: That sardine feeling.
Crowd Favourite: Shingles (Stay a While).
