When going to see an 18-odd piece group which include various members of the brass, string, woodwind and percussion families - as well as a 10 person choir, you expect to be entertained. However, ‘entertained’ is an understatement for the level of enjoyment one can expect from seeing The Polyphonic Spree. 

Headliners of the SoCo Carnivale at the Powerhouse Arts Museum in Brisbane, the group began their set seated behind a sheer white curtain with only the faint sound of unified instruments audible.  

The masquerade themed evening was embraced by almost everyone, an act which only added to the childish fun of the evening. So once each Indian headdress-donned patron was inside the hall and anxiously standing - eyes fixed on the stage which held a drummer, a bassist, trumpeters, a trombonist, a violinist and a flutist among many - the curtain dropped and the music grew instantaneously louder, drawing an enthusiastic cheer from the crowd. 

Proving confetti cannons are making a comeback, the crew shot a snowstorm of white paper over the gathered crowd during the first few songs, which included “Hold Me Now” and “Light and Day”, the latter of which can be globally recognised from its many multimedia appearences. This is more than likely attributed to its happy, upbeat lyrics and sound; something which is further exaggerated through a live performance. 

The group managed a few covers of old favourites throughout the night, but made the tunes their own - a feat which could only have been achieved through the acoustics they had at their disposal. Paul McCartney’s “Live and Let Die” gave the stringed section of the band a chance to play and be heard, which they did brilliantly. Throughout the rest of the show, however, they played second best to the more acoustically powerful instruments such as the bass guitars and the drums, only managing to outshine them again at the closing of “It’s the Sun”. 

During the performance of their own song, “The Championship”, the members left the stage one by one- brass then strings, woodwind then the percussionists and the choir, until finally the crowd was instructed to sing the refrain of the song, during which the main vocalists, including group’s lead singer Tim DeLaughter, left the stage leaving the atmospheric crowd in relative darkness. 

It was after much thumping of feet and beat clapping from the audience that the group reemerged through the door which their fans had all poured in over an hour earlier. This time, however, they were cloaked in white church gowns, which my friend and I found ironic due to her remarking earlier in the night that the group resembled a youth band you would expect to see touring new age churches. After each one had been assisted onto the stage (no easy feat when one is wearing a head to toe gown) they began to play “Soldier Girl” which was preceded by an intro which was, in my opinion, too lengthy and drawn out considering their already long absence from the stage - although it did give another opportunity to hear the instruments in unison. 

It was only during the Spree’s cover of Nirvana’s "Lithium" that the vocal similarities between Tim DeLaughter and Kurt Cobain became apparent to me. So much so, he could be a reincarnation of the late rocker. 

The show was closed by an energetic version of the Neil Diamond classic, “Sweet Caroline” to an entranced crowd. I was completely exhausted by the end of their performance, purely by watching them bounce around on stage to an exuberant crowd. For the performers to maintain their energy throughout and to put 100% into each of their songs is an achievement by them which is well worth honouring.