Live Review: The Kite String Tangle, Flamingo

15 September 2014 | 3:26 pm | Staff Writer

The Kite String Tangle's hits bring Manning Bar to life.

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Australian indie electro outfit Flamingo delivered a performance on Friday night that had the college kids glad that they’d finished up their pre-drinks and got themselves down to Manning Bar early.

The Adelaide-based three-piece were obviously stoked to be up on stage, playing in front of their largest crowd yet, and the audience was sending the love right back to them. Each track uncovered elements of their sound that makes it hard to simply define these guys as indie electro.

Hypnotic, spacey beats build upon rumbling bass and dreamy synths and then it’s all wrapped together by frontman Kacee Heidt’s epic vocals.
A standout performance of Slow Burning had the audience swaying on their feet to the thudding drums and soaking up the vibe and the delicious scent of incense that was lit by Heidt up on stage. The prop was a nice touch, but by the time Flamingo were finished, the unlikely combination of beer and incense had Manning Bar smelling like a bizarre new-age yoga studio.

The Kite String Tangle is a one-man show, written, directed and produced by Brisbane’s own Danny Harley. As the singer/songwriter/producer of the project, Harley held a tight rein over the stage and delivered a performance best described as controlled chaos. He showcased tracks from his latest EP, Vessel, and wooed the crowd with an incredible rendition of Flight Facilities’ Clair De Lune.

The mainly passive crowd came to life during Arcadia, first single to be taken off the EP. The crowd was further impressed when Brisbane vocalist Tiana Khasi was invited on stage to add her smooth voice into the playful track Stone Cold. As a performer, Harley was slightly reserved and let the music speak for itself. As a performance, The Kite String Tangle has got everything going for it. What’s so impressive is that “everything” is created by just one guy.