On Friday night Perth band The Brow Horn Orchestra launched their debut EP. Yeah that’s right their debut EP. Though given the scale on which they launched their latest creation, you’d be forgiven for thinking they were releasing their second or third album. The Brow clearly does not do anything by half measures – with nine bands/artists and nearly the same number of DJs on the bill. Not only offering punters value for money, not to mention some hard choices to make about whom to see next.
A Brow Horn gig is like one of those public service broadcasts. You’ll leave having discovered something new. Whether it be the correct procedure in the event of nuclear war with Soviet Russia, a whole raft of new and exciting local bands. That Captain Planet can be sampled to great results in a DJ set or even that the irrational fear of inflatable objects is Globophobia (well technically that’s balloons, but inflatable beach balls are close right?) You’re also guaranteed a great night, chock full of musical merriment and the chance of aching bones and no voice in the morning.
DJ NDorse kicked off proceedings early on the decks in the main room setting about creating a great vibe that would continue through the night. Though it was early in the night there were a few audience members dotted around the room, settling down with a few drinks, catching up with friends and generally unwinding to some great music, notably for me a great remix/cover of Ray Charles Hit the Road Jack in French. That being said the Captain Planet later in the set was pretty great too. By the end of the set the launch had sold out, and the venue had started to fill up.
Up next in the main room was electro pop peddlers Bastian’s Happy Flight who played a great upbeat and energising set. The band seemed confident on stage launching straight into their set, which was brimming to the top with mesmerising synths and great vocals. Their tracks have a great sing-along quality to them and are incredibly catchy and are sure to get you moving. You Keep Dancing was probably my favourite of the set, but that was a hard choice to make.
It was then across to the other room to catch one of the Perth’s newest bands: Mulder. The duo cut and interesting figure up on stage, dressed in black with fox hoods – an interesting and quirky homage to the X-Files character of the same name. At the same time it also helped explain the dozen or so people I’d seen wandering around dressed up as what I initially mistook for cats. Mulder put on a great set, thoroughly entertaining and certainly proved them to be a band to watch out for in the future. The high point of their performance for me was not just the way they presented their tracks, but their tracks themselves, they were dark and captivating, I certainly can’t wait to see and hear them in action again. Top Notch.
It was then back across to the main room for the combined musical offerings of The Accumulated Gestures and The Stoops. Between the two bands they managed to create this great RnB Jam band vibe, for reminiscent of bands like Galactic, with a great mixture of hip hop, old school RnB and Soul. By this point of the evening the venue had certainly started to pack out and the band certainly knew how to get them moving and energised. The highlight for me was the great vocal performances in all of the band’s different guises, and just the overall feel good vibe that the combined band produced. I’m certainly looking forward to hearing more from them in the future.
After a quick wander around, a sneaky stop at the Fat Shan’s merch desk it was time for Carl Fox to take to the stage. Having seen him before, albeit briefly at One Movement, I pretty much knew what to expect, and for the most part Fox and his band didn’t disappoint. There were a few technical difficulties, which marred the set somewhat, but not enough to stop me from enjoying the set, opening with an instrumental number was ambitious and brave, but ultimately successful. Though it was the recognisable tracks The Key and Chunky Rainbow that drew the biggest reaction from the crowd.
I then found myself back in the Discotheque room for local MC Mathas, who had to be the best dressed of all the acts on the bill, flanked by an old gramophone and atmospherically lit lamp, he looked like he’d be more at home in the 1920s than in present day Perth. I’m not sure if it was the lighting, or the mirror, or even both, but there was something strangely captivating about Mathas’ performance. Lyrically he was impressive, with plenty of clever and witty phrases, al whilst weaving methodically from side to side.
I managed to catch a little of the Sunshine Brothers and found myself impressed with their performance really working the crowd with their mixture of Ska infused RnB. By the end of the set the excitement and anticipation in the packed main room was palpable.
Then, in no time at all it was time for The Brow Horn Orchestra to take to the stage to a cacophony of shouts, cheers and whistles. The band have a confidence and swagger that belies the fact that they are only just releasing their debut EP, instead they stand here in front of a capacity crowd as conquering heroes.
From the opening riff to the final note the band had the audience in their grasp. In what has become the norm for a Brow gig energy levels were high from start to finish, with mercurial performances from NDorse and Rezide, the later launching him around the stage at any given opportunity all whilst firing off some blistering solo rapping. As always the horn section impressed, with some stunning riffs that you can’t help but love, especially on favourites ‘Don’t You Wanna Sing Forever’ and ‘Every Single Day’, the latter being so god dam catchy I still haven’t managed to properly get it out of my head days later.
There were a few sound issues at times throughout the set, but nothing that really detracted from the overall quality of the set. Trying to pick highlights from the set is a near on impossible feat, with so many great songs to choose from the set was both genre mashing and chock full of fan favourites. If forced I’d have to say my favourites were ‘Every Single Day’, ‘We Were Where The Heart Is’ and ‘Goliath’. But really it was really an all round top-notch performance from the whole band. The encore was pretty fun too, even if it does as they say make them sound like the Cat Empire.
The band have largely taken Perth by storm, so surely the next step is take the band over east and let the rest of Australia experience a little bit of the Brow. Overall it was a fantastic night, filed to the brim with stellar performances and good times. The perfect party to welcome a great record into the world, here’s to more records to follow.
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