Live Review: The Butterfly Effect, Sleep Parade, Teal

While punters make their way into The Espy's narrow, shabby chic Gershwin Room, Sydney lads Teal are hard at work trying to win over a crowd that has one band firmly on their minds. Vocalist Joe Surgey contorts about the stage, working the veins on his neck as he emphatically wails into the mic. The quintet work through the sonic peaks and troughs of their densely layered tunes, alternating between moments of quietude and roaring intensity. Closing their set with the soaring Raptor, the boys exit the stage to make way for the second support act.

Sleep Parade up the energy levels from the first strum of frontman Leigh Davies' guitar. To describe these guys as impassioned would be an understatement; both Davies and drummer Dan Teng grimace with every plucked string and pounded skin. Not one to hold back on guitar-hero antics, Davies whizzes back and forth with his axe, even aping Hendrix, using his guitar pickup as a microphone. Dancing With The Enemy is a heartfelt standout, delivered with pulsing beat and ample gusto.

By now the ratio of bottle blondes is on par with that of black-tee sporting tradies, both parties squeezing into the rectangular room and shuffling forward for prime position. This is to be the first visit to Melbourne for this new incarnation of The Butterfly Effect, featuring Paul Gallagher on the mic. 

Easing into their set with Filling Silence, Gallagher is flanked by guitarist Kurt Goedhart and bassist Glenn Esmond, both heavier set and shaven skulled, looking more security guards than bandmates. Gallagher sways languidly to the mid-tempo beat, hair in face and eyes shut as he attempts to do the song justice. Phoenix drops the clutch and the audience lights up, Gallagher's voice tackling this track more easily than the last. Window And The Watcher continues the string of crowd favourites from their back catalogue, A Slow Descent, with its recognisably frantic guitarline keeping the crowd amped. Even latest single Eyes Down gets a warm response, visibly buoying Gallagher, who thanks all in attendance. An extended intro brings with it Crave, which nicely rounds out the set. 

As we file out, nobody whines about the human-sized vacuum Clint Boge's absence has left in the band. Gallagher has some mighty boots to fill, and ultimately time will tell whether or not he's the right fit.