Live Review: Clint Boge

It’s not often that the prospect of an acoustic show offers anything other than the dubious delights of weepy, weedy folk singers, so the news that former Butterfly Effect noisemeisters Clint Boge and Glenn Esmond were hitting the road came as a welcome surprise.

Former Sleight Of Hand frontman Benj Axwell opened the show with take on the indie-rock genre, albeit one with a slight metal accent. The set featured the odd tune that told a story, a close approximation of a ballad or two, and a couple of others that hinted at what could be with loud, big production.

With former Butterfly Effect frontman Clint Boge the ostensible headliner, and Butters guitarist and second vocalist, Glenn Esmond, playing support, it was always likely that the demaraction between the two would be so faint as to be non-existent.

Esmond played a solid set of tunes of his own composing, and later joined Clint Boge as backup on his solo numbers as well. But what the punters had really come out to hear was the old stuff; big Butterfly Effect hits and crowd favourites, loud and proud.

One of the best aspects of the stripped-down arrangements and intimate setting was how the strength of the songwriting shone through, underpinned by Boge’s soaring vocals and Esmond’s technical mastery. At the heart of the show was a couple of mates on stage having fun, fending off calls to “take it off” – which resulted in an improptu rendition of Gold Digger – and the glee that comes hearing some of your favourite tunes belted out once more.