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On Friday I headed along to Newton's Nation, a three day extreme sports and music festival in Bathurst, NSW. In it's third year, Newton's has some pretty aspirational goals - bringing a big crowd to a remote location to watch some pretty amazing sports, and some pretty great bands. Whether or not they have suceeded is yet to be clear - but Friday was only the first day, so let's give them some credit.
I was at the event from about 10am, watching luge, parkour, downhill and a whole bunch of other sports that I have no name for (though I'm sure someone could tell you). The atmosphere was pretty good, with a number of "towers" broadcasting DJ's throughout the site. The large area did feel a little empty but it was a school/work day.
Bands started at 4pm, with a Sydney act called Ranger Spacey. They were good fun, rock influenced with a smattering of folk and blues. They played well, despite facing a dauntingly empty playing space. Their bass player Karl had an amazing amount of energy and didn't hesitate to express it, either. My favorite song was probably "Both Hands", which is on their Myspace and Facebook, so check it out.
The one downside of their set was the appalling sound. A couple of times in every song an ear piercing thump and screech would resonate wildly, terrible even through my earplugs. While this was fixed towards the end of their set, the mix was still poor - the occasional trumpet player was impossible to hear even from the pit, and the vocals were so low in the mix it was almost silent. Of course, this isn't a reflection on the band, but definitely affected their performance.
Next up were The Humm, a rock act from Newcastle. Although also affected by a bad mix, their set lacked the energy that I usually associate with "Aussie" rock. It was enjoyable, yes, and I wouldn't mind seeing them again, but there was some crucial element missing from their performance. That said, the song "Fantasize" was fun and upbeat, and delivered some of the energy that was missing as a whole from the show.
Following The Humm were The Money Smokers, another Sydney act. I caught them last week at Bondi Beach Road hotel and they were great there. As such, I came into their set at Newtons Nation with a certain expectation. Thankfully, they delivered. Their bluesy rock'n'roll is upbeat and tight and while at points all too reminiscent of The Rolling Stones, is still fun to listen too
The Money Smokers are sexy without talking about sex, suave without being sleazy and just entertaining. As a seven piece they fill a stage nicely, and for the most part, know how to use it. A lot of their charm seems to come from Tristan James, their front man, but there's nothing wrong with that. Good performers, great music and definitely worth catching live.
Bloody Lovely Audrey, the only local act, were on next. They've covered a lot of ground in the six months since their first shows and are becoming tighter, smoother and all together sexier as a band. Their show is still raw and powerful, however, and oozes confidence. The crowd had started to thicken around the time Bloody Lovely Audrey started to play, which made a nice change from the previously empty venue.
Bloody Lovely Audrey, and in particular lead singer Sinead Curry, know how to work a crowd. While some of that comes from Sinead's natural sex appeal, it seems more linked to a level of empathy and understanding with the crowd that they play to. They're young and energetic, as well as being friendly onstage and off. If you ever get the chance too, make sure you catch these guys.
Following Bloody Lovely Audrey were Zeahorse. The Lismore born, Sydney based act have supported Them Crooked Vultures and played at Playground Weekender, but on the whole didn't spark. While their music was good, and their performance relatively entertaining, the entire effort seemed forced. It's rare that a band will turn me off their music in the first song, but Zeahorse managed to pull that off.
Then came The Novocaines. The Perth based rock act have also supported Them Crooked Vultures, as well as touring with bands like Yves Klein Blue, Tame Impala and The Philadelphia Grand Jury. They've also just released a new EP, Courtesy Eventually, which is gaining a lot of airtime on triple j. They're one of my favorite Australian bands, as well, and I always look forward to seeing them. They've had a lineup change recently, with Karlin Courtney joining the band as bass player, and Steven Turnock turning to guitar.
They rocked. While they've been compared to many rock acts (from the likes of David Bowie to Pete Townsend), they're so much more than that. They're powerful, consumate performers, and while only young, have years of experience as a band. Songs like Cup of Coffee, Courtesy Eventually and Lovers Teeth all tear the roof of the stage - even if there isn't a roof. They also debuted a new song called Forever Love. While it was raw, it oozed the same animalistic passion that The Novocaines are becoming synonymous with.
While they too suffered some technical difficulties, they powered through them, delivering a chaotic 45 minute set that got everyone in the crowd on their feet. It's basically impossible to describe how impressive these guys are as performers and as musicians, so I thoroughly recommend you get along to seeing them sometime soon - if you can get to a show that isn't already sold out.
The final act of the night were You Am I. One of Australia's greatest live acts, You Am I have played in almost every situation imaginable, and it shows. They're amazing performers, who work the crowd like it's soft, fresh playdough and don't take crap from anyone. When the sound continued to malfunction during their set, Tim Rogers made sure it was fixed. Not like a diva, but like the performer that he is, saying "I want this to be the best, so we can do our best for you".
That attitude sits within everything the band does. They're playing for the people, for the crowd and for their fans. Tim Rogers knocks back hecklers like flies, and delivers an amazing performance at the same time. There are few bands currently performing, in Australia and worldwide, who can deliver as well as You Am I.
All in all, the first day of Newton's Nation was good. Aside from a couple of technical difficulties here and there, and a particularly lackluster turnout, the bands performed gracefully and with style. Hopefully Saturday brings a better crowd, with Birds of Tokyo, The Philadelphia Grand Jury, Bliss n Eso and Children Collide.
