Live Review: The Shins, Husky

There was a very particular sense of anticipation and energy at the Hordern Pavilion as audience members prepared for the long-awaited return of The Shins to an Australian stage. The night was confidently opened by Melbourne indie four-piece Husky, who immediately commanded the vast space with remarkable conviction; the audience, captivated. The set opened with a clean, clear guitar melody and lead singer Husky Gawenda's dominant vocals as the band performed Tidal Wave. The group's set moved from championing simple guitar melodies and Gawenda's vocal talent to instead focusing on their ability to create an incredible breadth of sound with complex keyboard, guitar and vocal melodies. The set closed with The Woods, which was upbeat and catchy and a perfect note on which to close a very accomplished set.

The Shins then graced the stage, facing a room filled with excitement and awe, and opened what was to be an incredibly dynamic and captivating set featuring a satisfying mix of new Shins releases and powerful older tracks. The band immediately introduced their overwhelming musical dexterity and ability to thoroughly enthrall, and managed to maintain a powerful hush from the crowd throughout the set. The band confidently performed Kissing The Lipless, with masterful vocals that filled the big room effortlessly. These powerful vocals continued to take centre stage in Caring Is Creepy and the band's first single from their new album, Simple Song. The band's capacity for an incredibly strong and multi-layered yet entirely cohesive instrumental sound was then showcased in another new track, Bait & Switch. The set then transformed once again into a powerful combination of exciting synth sounds and light shows, with the band's sound and energy lifting to a new level entirely. Their vast array of elements, this time including an expert violin line, fell together flawlessly to create an incredible rendition of Saint Simon, which was certainly one of the highlights of the set. The room was once again captivated by soft but commanding vocals in No Way Down and New Slang, which was certainly one of the crowd's favourites. The group's encore began with September, in which once again the group's musical prowess commanded the hushed attention of every member of the audience. The band then performed Port Of Morrow and finished the set with One By One All Day. The set, characterized by the extraordinary musical expertise of each of its members as well as their remarkably unfaltering cohesion, truly was a triumph on all accounts.