Although I’ve lived in Adelaide all my life, this was the first time I was venturing off to visit Rocket Bar. I arrived shortly after 10pm and to my surprise the bar was practically empty. Where was everybody? That being said, Red Ink weren’t due to come on till 11:30pm, and before I knew it the place started to fill up (phew!).

Before tonight I had never heard of local indie-folk Adelaide band, French Open. It’s a shame I haven’t been able to find out much information about them because they deserve the recognition. The lead singer has a voice similar to Angus Stone (he was even sporting a similar beard to him), yet somehow his voice is huskier and more defined, making it absolutely glorious to listen to. It's the kind of music that all you have to do is close your eyes and everything around you just disappears, and all that you’re left with is something beautiful. I look forward to watching/hearing them blossom in the future.

Hailing from Melbourne, Red Ink kicked off their single launch with a bang in Adelaide. Lucky us! From the moment they stepped on stage, till the moment they finished their set they were bursting with energy. The smaller crowd didn't phase them one bit, in fact it made it more intimate.
Busting out old hits such as “Audrey” and “Battlescars”, there’s no denying that Red Ink are a group of talented men, destined to go further. They sound very well put together, without sounding put together. I found myself drawn to the drummer; the sound was tight (ya’ll). It just didn’t feel right saying that without the added ya’ll.

Front man John has a voice like whisky; smooth yet rough. He really knows how to take control of that and engage the audience as much as possible. It also doesn’t hurt that he’s a scruffy babe. There was a flock of girls around me whispering to each other in hopes that he will unbutton those last few buttons left untouched on his shirt.

There should be an entire paragraph dedicated to Johns dancing, but alas I won’t dive into it too much. Let’s just say it was insane. Arms shaking, hips almost breaking, legs bending in every way possible! Okay maybe I'm exaggerating a little bit, but you get the idea. I was very impressed by how well he could continue to dance without his vocals suffering. A job well done, mate!

Hearing some of their olden gems, and then getting to hear new songs off their upcoming EP such as “Euphoria”, you can tell how they’ve made the subtle yet distinctive move from somewhat pop songs to more progressive rock. I think they’ve definitely made the right change; their new songs came across well reciprocated by the audience and seem to suit the band better.

If tonight was anything to go by, I have nothing but high hopes for Red Ink's upcoming EP The Colour Age. Hopefully they can create a bigger following down here in Adelaide, or maybe we’re just not ready for them yet.