Boy & Bear’s sold out shows at the Metro Theatre were a great chance to catch some very talented emerging Australian acts. The demand for these shows, along with The Middle East’s sold out show a few weeks later at the same venue, is a great sign for Australian music.

Young Cairns-via-Brisbane singer/songwriter Emma Louise was the first act of the night. Helped out by possibly the most polite backing band ever, the chanteuse performed sincere folk music weaving together acoustic melodies and sweet harmonies. Louise has an impressively clear and expressive voice, however, I didn’t quite feel the connection I wanted to. Unfortunately, the room was a bit too big and the time slot a bit too early (the crowd too buzzy) to do her justice. I’m sure in a more intimate venue Louise and her band would be fantastic. Debut single "Jungle" though, with its surprisingly effective box drum beat was fun. It was refreshing too to hear an artist on stage at the Metro plugging their EP for 10 bucks and it was a reminder that this impressively talented 19-year-old is still only gaining recognition.

Then there was Jinja Safari. They make catchy indie pop and it’s fun enough live but watching them I couldn’t help but feel I was watching the Mighty Boosh. For those who aren’t familiar with this brilliant British comedy, every episode London misfits Howard Moon and Vince Noir inadvertently but deftly satirise a particular style of past or presently trendy music. Watching the second act of this night I thought the two characters had assembled an Afro-beat indie band in Sydney using just the right mix of interesting rhythms, smooth vocals, yelps and stilted falsetto harmonies all following a particular formula. From the controlled simultaneous jump of three band members at the crescendo of one song, to lead singer Marcus Azon‘s climb up the speaker stack to unfurl a banner, the exuberance just felt forced and not spontaneous.

In their defence though, the introduction of a slower, vast Phil Collins-style number and bubbly single “Peter Pan” saw the band impose some of its personality and, their music has been known to induce people to crash the stage and dance like shoeless madmen (or women) while they play. I also quite liked the percussionist – the closest I can get to a title for him – who looked a nutcase on his collection of drums and probably has the most fun role in any band around.

With punters lining the stairs to get a vantage point – so full was the Metro – Boy & Bear took to a stage which looked like a particularly large yet warm cigar room… with fairy lights. It was a nice setting and after the youthfulness on display earlier B&B displayed a reassuring maturity and poise.

Playing new material for the first time, even to fans, can be hit and miss but the boys pulled it off with songs that moved from rollicking bluegrass to simple but touching observations on life. The loudest cheers of course came for crowd favourites like “Mexican Mavis” and “Rabbit Song”.

Showing that they appreciated the impressive turnout the band were relaxed and chatty, joking extensively; lead singer Dave Hosking also explaining how they used to come to the Metro when they were growing up and how it meant so much to them to now be up on the same stage.

"So we didn’t actually write this song," Hosking lets slip and there’s an instant cheer. B&B’s cover of Crowded House’s “Fall at your Feet” is (in the author’s humble opinion) just as beautiful and impressive as the original and seeing it constructed live only adds to its magic.

When Hosking announced the band’s laudable no encore policy it really hammered home the no nonsense approach B&B took that night, letting the music speak for itself. “Feeding Line” – the first single off their debut album – provided a solid close to an inspiring night.