Live Review: Jaala, Lowtide, Gregor, Bobby Brave, Shrimpwitch

Arriving for the tail-end of Shrimpwitch, the RSL is divided into people drinking and watching the election coverage or drinking and watching the band. But, Shrimpwitch are naturally the more interesting choice as the two-piece deliver a scuzzy-punk sound with flavours of abrasive art-pop. Bobby Brave follow and it's quite the change of pace as this two-piece offer up a more accessible and spacious pop sound that carries with it elements of psych and even at times has an undercurrent of Dean Blunt to the sound.

One of the highlights on tonight's bill, Gregor follow and it is hard not to get lost in the atmosphere provided. For a young artist, the music is quite mature and there is a lot to dissect when it comes to the song structures and lyrical content. The sound gets a little shaky at times, but this is redeemed tenfold by the lovely RSL staff handing out party pies and sausage rolls mid-set.

When Lowtide begin you could easily write off their first song due to serious problems with the mix - microphone feedback and buried vocals consume everything. As the powers that be attempt to fix the situation on the little PA, it calls for a break until things are listenable. Remerging into the band room, the techies tap their knees and try to film the band playing Julia (which sounds exactly like a shoegaze cover version of Foo Fighters' The Pretender). All in the room are loving it, even though the sound's still shit.

Hot off achieving fame and notoriety at Dark Mofo as part of the prestigious Blacklist, Jaala take the headline spot. The room is quite full and the sound issues present throughout Lowtide's set return, although fortunately the mix has improved. The band is led by vocalist/guitarist (and member of rising act Mangelwurzel) Cosima Jaala. The sound is quite safe and accessible. The set is delivered quite energetically and flirts with a lo-fi aesthetic while each track manages to hold a bit of grandeur. There are times when it gets quite danceable, too, courtesy of a tight rhythm section. All in all, it's quite faultless although it does feel as if this band could really prosper in a more stable environment.