Amid the chaos ensued by the dangerous staircases and the hordes of underage indie kids that is customary to Street Party gatherings, on Saturday night the Colonial Hotel played host to a unique yet classy act going by the name of Strange Forces.

What with all four rooms of the venue open for the first time since the weekly event ‘Rats’ was launched, the relatively unknown group had hefty competition with various local DJs on the floors above. Nonetheless, they drew a respectable crowd to witness their brief, and somewhat off-the-cuff, performance.

Following what was allegedly a disappointing set at the Royal Derby Hotel on Friday night, the three-piece played with impressive gusto and enthusiasm. It is fairly safe to presume that Strange Forces’ music is heavily influenced by all that its name connotes; that is, the supernatural, the universe and the inexplicable. The result is a sound that could only be described as experimental-psychedelic, infusing excessive use of synthesizers with heavy guitar and drums. The trippy impression is only complete with haunting vocals of which are embellished to create an echo effect, notably in the epic ‘Love Rust’.

Though very few audience members, including myself, were particularly familiar with Strange Forces’ music, this did not deter the guys as they maintained a positive stage dynamic throughout. Due to certain issues outside their control, the set was cut short which allowed for only a handful of songs to be played. Each song melded into the next although, after the show, band-member Matt admitted that much of the performance was completely improvised, describing the gig as a bit of a ‘garage-jam’. The song-selection was varied, ranging from the lyrical ‘Drugs and Powers’ to the intriguing and bizarre sounds of ‘Dino brain’. The latter was a highlight, with Strange Forces employing the talent of Miles Brown (of The Night Terrors) to play an instrument called the Theremin, which even drew the attention of the many drunken youths waiting in anticipation for Footscray rapper Bangs to hit the stage (and let me tell you, they were a boisterous bunch).

I will not pretend that I am an expert on the many genres in which Strange Forces may fall, nor can I say I honestly listen to music of their kind in my own time. However, I can say that I was genuinely disappointed when the Saturday set came to a close. Though at times the attention of the audience was minimal, the Brisbanian-turn-Berlinian boys have much potential. To the crowd at Rats, Strange Forces may have come across as slightly too abstract for them to truly evoke appreciation. However, to a more mature crowd and in the right atmosphere, they would certainly provide stimulating entertainment.