Starting proceedings on a fine line up of Australian up-and-comers was Ball Park Music, hailing from Brisbane. At first I didn’t quite understand what the band was presenting, but as the set went on it became clear that the relatively young band were busting at the seams with talent. Of particular interest was the extremely matured voice of the front man which contrast so well with the bass player and singer. Once again, I found myself suckered in by the pleasant sound of juxtaposed male and female vocals, blending but at the same time pushing and pulling each other for the listeners ears. The knock-out blow was when the very talented keyboard player pulled out a trombone; at this point I was well and truly sold. Not to mention above all the catchy nature of their songs with their infectious hooks, in particular the next single "Sea Strangers". This is a band I definitely would like to see play again, and here’s to hoping they do.

Boy & Bear are a band-name that seem to be thrown around a lot lately, usually coupled with "Triple J" in the same sentence. After all the hype, I must say they do a great job of living up to it. Folk-based music is on the rise and some bands in Australia are getting recognition on the back of that wave. Boy & Bear have a lot of talent and are great at what they do, and it goes without saying for any good folk band at the moment, have great melodies. A highlight in the set was "The Storm", which had gentle and sparse texture in the verses before building up half way through the song. Lead singer Dave Hosking’s voice at the helm really leads the other instruments well. The combination of acoustic rhythm guitar, electric lead and sweeping melodies in harmony had me sold. I would be very surprised if this band doesn’t explode by the time an EP is released.

Filling the third and final support slot for Hungry Kids of Hungary were Sydney quartet, Ernest Ellis. Having supported Jamie T last year, things are certainly looking up for the band. Several of the songs played I’d heard before, including "Bad Blood" and "Heading for the Cold", but the songs live on the night seemed to lack punch compared to their recorded versions. The songs seemed to want to lead somewhere but rather than reaching their climax, seemed to plateau. I’m not sure where particularly the punch was missing as emotion was oozing from each member of the band, in particular Ellis, with his arms flailing simultaneously with the feelings he sang about. I’m sure it wont be the last time I see Ernest Ellis, especially as an album will be hitting shelves soon, and I thoroughly look forward to both occasions.

I can’t say I know a great deal (or heard a great deal) about Hungry Kids of Hungary, other than knowing they hailed from the sunshine state of Queensland and were garnering a fair amount of airplay. It came as somewhat of a surprise when the band took the stage and seemed older than I had expected. Not that I expected them to be in their teenage years or anything, but their music is quite energetic and youthful. A song that definitely carries this feeling is "Let You Down", with keyboard player Kane Mazlin handling the main vocal duties and also jumping on the spot like a mad man. The band's songs are very poppy, well-performed and seem to be something they have worked hard on, performing in many of the country's venues. "All You Need To Know" was another song that stood out from the rest with its slightly jazzy keyboard style.

Some songs stood out more than others, including set closer "Scattered Diamonds" where the band brought on someone from the crowd whose birthday it was to join them onstage to play bells and sing. It was a very touching gesture, and for someone who knew all the words, it's something he won’t forget in a hurry.