The night
began with indie rock band Parades
who have been on making their mark on the Australian music scene with their debut
album ‘Foreign Tapes’. It’s unfair to say that the only reason Parades are popular
is because of Jonathan Boulet. Although it is a big boost, each of the band
members stands on their own perfectly. From the beautifully breathtaking melody
of ‘Hunters’ to the majestic vocals and airy guitars in ‘Loserspeak In
New Tongue’ the band's set was dreamy and a perfect start to the evening.

The Joy Formidable

were flawless. I’m filled with regret as that
night was the first I’ve heard about them. Lead singer/guitar Ritzy Bryan had
her own gravitational pull as she had everyone focused her from the moment she
walked on stage. Even just writing this review is sending shivers down my spine
as to how good they were. Their fast emotional grunge rock tunes had jaws
dropping as Bryan’s angelic and enchanting voice won everyone in the crowd over.
From the sweet yet destructive ‘Whirring’ to the deafening melodic guitar riffs
in ‘Popinjay’ it was the most amazing rock'n'roll display I’ve seen since the
Foo Fighters.

 Returning
for the second time this year, there’s no denying that Passion Pit is one of the hottest bands right now. From
the start they were enthralling as they opened with ‘I’ve Got Your Number’
followed up with ‘Make Light’. Lead singer Michael Angelakos was fascinating to
watch as he danced and jumped around on stage which in turn got the entire
crowd moving along with him. It’s Angelakos’ high pitched synth drenched vocals
which drive the band from epic dance beats of ‘The Reeling’ to the hypnotic ‘Moth’s
Wings’. 

It’s their
live shows where Passion Pit truly shines as their CD does them no justice. ‘Little Secrets' nearly brought the entire venue down as the entire
dance floor jumped in synchronisation while singing along ‘Higher and higher
and higher’. The band pulled off their electro pop hit perfectly.

The set was
bought to an end with a three song encore. From the cute and catchy ‘Eyes As
Candles’ and their rendition of The Cranberries' "Dreams" left many of the
younger crowd confused and scratching their heads but still dancing. Crowd
favourite ‘Sleepyhead’ laced with synths and handclaps was the perfect song to
close the night. It’s safe to say that everyone left with a huge smile on their
faces.