White-boy rap is something I’ve always struggled to take seriously, and was not what I was expecting to be subjected to, as I arrived at the Buffalo Club for my weekly dose of art wank. Locals Brothers Hand Mirror put on an interesting show, with a comical set that was highly entertaining. Oscar Vincente-Slorach Thorn & Grant Jonathon Gronewold are an energetic duo who’ve penned some damn catchy tunes that come ready made for the dance floor. Their set was lively and a lot of fun, with Gronewold busting out some smooth moves all over the stage and down in the small crowd who’d gathered early to watch the show. Regardless of whether you’re fan of the genre, Brothers Hand Mirror know how to party, and their music goes down well with pints and a bit of miscellaneous grinding.
Brisbane four-piece Oh Ye Denver Birds make electronically-affected indie pop that is so incredibly amazing that I doubt this lot will be playing a support slot on their next trip down to Melbourne. Their set was short and sharp, with the band powering through their small but impressive back catalogue with a fierce intensity that was fabulous to experience. This is a band who’ve got their shit together. Not only is their studio work fantastic, but their live shows are equally as impressive, with the band’s instrumentation being spot on and their raucous manner amping the crowd up to euphoric states, as the room exploded in a sea of sweaty, flailing limbs, and the hipper-than-thou got their groove on with the band. With the impending release of their debut LP, the future is looking bright for Oh Ye Denver Birds. Now would be an excellent time to jump on board their bandwagon.
Sydney five-piece Megastick Fanfare are another exciting group of upstarts whose experimental pop has been making waves across the blogosphere. Fortunately, they lived up to the hype with a killer set that saw a lot more bad dancing occur, as the four dollar pints took their toll on the crowd. Megastick Fanfare play atmospheric tunes, and have a vibrant presence that added to the awesomeness of their set. Their live sound was fantastic, with a few technical glitches not detracting from the overall spectacle of their delivery. The boys are incredibly energetic, and ended the night on a high with a fun show that saw them psyching up the punters with their crazy dancing and powerful sound.
All in all, it was a grand night of quality tunes from some of Australia’s most promising new talents.
