Live Review: BIGSOUND Night One 2018

Opening BIGSOUND is a tough gig but at 8pm on Tuesday night, the delightful Alice Skye was more than up for the task. Bringing her soaring but delicate vocals to Black Bear Lodge, the crowd, including one Michael Chugg, was entranced by the songstress. With a backing band made up of twins, Skye’s set leaves us with an all-embracing feeling of calm and clarity, and we are ready for the night ahead. 

Alice Skye

Wollongong's Cry Club were also up for the challenge, taking it in their stride. In fact, lead singer Heather Riley takes it even further, completely owning the stage at The Zoo. Their music can be described as post-punk with an emotional edge. With just a guitar and electronic drums from Jono Tooke supporting Riley's soaring vocal, the duo are amazing even though only a small group have gathered early. After word gets out, they are sure to get more interest later in the week. Unreleased song 'Don't Fucking Touch Me' gives Riley a chance to get down onto the floor and they finish with a theatrical performance of Le Tigre's Deceptacon. We're all part of the Cry Club now.

Echoing tremolo vibrates through the Alehouse stage of the Woolly Mammoth as EWAH & The Vision of Paradise begin their set. Hearing such vibrancy come out of a semi-hollow Gretsch guitar is quite strange, yet breathtakingly beautiful. There’re a few people singing for Streets, but crowd engagement seems to be quite slow at this time of night.

Opening 256 Wickham St is out of this world electronic dance duo Yu Yi. With Mister Hugo providing the beats and Miss Ellen the vibey vocals, this alien-esque pair start off a little tentative, but soon find their groove and take the audience on a "cosmic adventure into their peculiar little world". They debut a new single called Jello, an addictive tune that begs to be danced to, well and truly living up to expectations after their extremely well-received single, Peaches.

The sound of Powderfinger on the PA welcomes us to The Elephant for DOBBY’s set. It takes the Sydney-based rapper some time to get started after some technical delays, which could be in part due to the rain that seems to be plaguing BIGSOUND this year. Credit to him, he’s polite, calm and in control throughout the final stage of sound checking. He starts on drums and quickly proves himself out of the ordinary, rapping at the same time with impressive speed. DOBBY thanks the crowd for waiting and shares that the next track, Welcome, was written on his grandmother’s country. It might be one of the first of BIGSOUND, but DOBBY certainly brings out a set that could have easily had a full room dancing later in the night. His style is refreshing, his stories honest and inclusive. Here’s to him hopefully coming back for a third round next year.

DOBBY

Upstairs at the Woolly Mammoth, on the Mane stage, Sunscreen can be heard delivering beautifully layered choruses in their guitar harmonies. Along with call and response vocality in track Tide, there’s quite a large crowd gathering and a fair number of the crowd dancing to such an enjoyable set. It’s a perfect beginning to the night.

Next stop, The Foundry, where Pool Shop are giving us Sunday arvo vibes on a Tuesday night and we love it. Branching off from Major Leagues, Jaimee Fryers’ bedroom indie magic has trademark dreaminess but tonight they shine with heavier distortion. The set is briefly interrupted when Fryer has to retune her guitar but we’re rewarded with a Broken Social Scene cover at the end of it. 

Down at The Valley Drive In, IV League begin their set to a full house. With a flowery visual backdrop and warm gold lights accompanying their set, it’s easy to mistake the concrete venue for a field of sunflowers. Teasing new material, it’s safe to say there are amazing things in store for the Melbourne quartet.

Emilee South's music hits you in the feels straight away. This blues guitarist and soul vocalist isn't afraid to belt out a big tune. Her first BIGSOUND performance is raw and powerful, showcasing her boss voice and slick guitar skills. With a swagger that points towards a little danger, she played some tracks from her EP along with new ones to a decent Empire Hotel crowd. If it were later in the night, there might have been some soft shoe shuffle going on.

Melbourne via Darwin three-piece Bell City Square have gathered a respectable crowd for their 8.20pm slot at Heya Bar. Their sound is polished and reminiscent of the angsty, indie pop vibrations of The 1975. Lyrically the boys are emotive and topical, tackling issues like toxic masculinity in vulnerable tune Boys Hurting Boys.

The word has certainly spread about VOIID. In the early slots at The Zoo last year, things were still warming up. This was definitely not the case tonight, with the front half of the room looking mighty healthy and full for their openers. Clear vocals, fuzzy guitars and bouncy tracks; VOIID are well worth your time. Good luck getting in for their next set.

VOIID

At the Alehouse stage of the Woolly Mammoth, DIET don’t need more than a single plucked string to get everyone sitting at benches up and jumping on the dancefloor. They play Take Me to a singing crowd and cause an uproar in conversation among delegates within the venue. With such an incredible sound we can expect bigger things are heading their way.

Carla Geneve is a force. Playing as a three-piece tonight, punters at the Crow Bar are compensated for forgoing VOIID with a set of cruisey indie-rock enchantment. With a red guitar and lyrics that creep under your skin, there are strong Barnett vibes. At 19 years old, Geneve is already crafting clever tracks with simple but powerful lyrics. A Gallagher-esque moment comes as she runs off stage before the last notes of the closing track play but she is quickly back, hugging the guys on stage and celebrating a job well done.

Carla Geneve

Mosquito Coast, the triple j Unearthed High winners from 2015, have taken some time to work on a direction and its done them well. Four members, three synths and Naomi Robinson's big voice give them a presence that they wouldn't have imagined at 17. A few years on and there's a new maturity and slick production backing them up. New song, Skipping Girl, is an example of their enlarged sound and the mix of backing vocals and a willingness to take sharp left turns in songs makes the show exciting at the Famous Nightclub. Sounds like growing up.

 TOTTY’s Kelly Jansch tells the crowd at The Valley Drive In that she’s scared. It certainly doesn’t show though, with the Wollongong "shed rock" group pulling a decent crowd and putting on more than a decent set. They seem to be a very well-rounded act for so early on in their career. We’ll happily come back for more.

TOTTY

Samsaruh takes the stage at 256 Wickham St for her 9.40 slot, clad from head to toe in metallic silver and ready to dance. Her velvety vocals backed by a classic rock beat gets the audience moving and grooving. Having shared the stage with the likes of Slumberjack and Just A Gent, Samsaruh is no stranger to putting on a show. During crowd favourite Golden To Thrive, she commands the stage like a pro, throwing her body around the stage while simultaneously managing to pull off some flawless vocals.

Sleep Talk, out of Adelaide, make the most of their first BIGSOUND appearance with a powerful performance at famously low-ceilinged rock venue, Crowbar. It's all meaty riffs, visceral vocals and a crowd that were there for it, packing in close to the stage. Despite some technical problems, these guys give a massive show for the metal and hardcore-loving fans.

The Zoo’s lights drop to a moody blue - in no way appropriate but still somehow fitting - for Sydney’s punk three-piece ARSE. Sounding like an angrier take on Metz, there’s a small but aggressive crowd throwing their heads and bodies around. Slaying with Primitive Species, some members of the crowd cannot seem to help but beat their heads together.

Walking back up the mall to Famous Nightclub, no one was ready for what was to come. Nice Biscuit. What. A. Set. As soon as we heard there were costumes involved we knew we wanted to sign up. Tonight co front-women are ethereal in all white and open by paying their respects to the ground on which we stand. The rest of the band are draped in silver, aluminium foil-like material and barefoot. It is certainly a spectacle, only made more so when two hula-hoopists wearing pink-fringed hats join the crowd, but the music is far from background noise. Bulk B-52s vibes, Nice Biscuit have seemingly mastered time travel and we think they are the band to watch. 

Nice Biscuit

Loose Tooth’s tunes definitely encourage everyone at Crowbar Black to find their dancing shoes. It’s a jangly, fun set with great harmonies and they’re a welcome sound at this point in the evening. Even their tone checking is entertaining and very much the opposite of tone deaf.

Stevie Jean is just one of the exciting artists coming out of the Top End. With just her astonishingly strong voice and a guitar, she manages to transfix Laruche with her blues-tinged music. Her cheeky personality keeps us amused in between tracks. New track Hell In Every Religion wraps up a perfect BIGSOUND debut that is sure to turn heads northward.

Heading back to The Valley Drive In, Brisbane locals Bugs jump on stage, welcomed by a massive crowd. They give a nod to their friends that have shown up and get straight into Glue and Neighbourhood, accompanied by an incredibly vibrant crowd. While their set is beyond amazing, the one thing that completely distracts the audience from the band is the venue’s use of the exact same flowery visual backdrop they’ve used the entire night.

Electric pop queen JEFFE quietly takes the stage at Heya Bar and begins her set softly, showing off her ethereal vocals, quickly filling the room. Her musical talent is evident in her seamless manipulation of various instruments and technologies throughout the set; moving from keyboard, to guitar, to vocals, etc. This expertise does not go unnoticed by the crowd, with one particularly ‘jolly’ punter positioning himself front and centre, shouting praise like, "SHE’S EXQUISITE," periodically throughout her performance. If this doesn’t convince you to give her a listen, we don’t know what will.

San Mei pulls a decent crowd to the Woolly Mammoth Alehouse stage. Smart, strong bedroom pop, the music shines live when the guitars are brought to the front. There’s a whole lot of potential here and a whole lot of music filled with energy and drive, topped off with instrumental confidence and A+ vocals. Yes, please.

Pounding drums, throbbing bass. It's the start of  Cable Ties' set at The Zoo and it draws people to them like moths to a flame. Jenny McKechnie's precise wailing drives the sound and her awesome guitar work enhances it. They are tight, rhythmic, loud and very, very good. In fact, judging by the crowd, one of the biggest of the night, and the rapturous reception, the Melbourne band are surely on the cusp of some big things.

Two People take the stage at 256 Wickham St and launch straight into their set, casting a dreamlike spell over the room. Despite some unfortunate mic mishaps in which some of the vocals were slightly lost, the performance was overall a strong one. Frontwoman Phoebe Lou’s The xx-inspired crooning combined with the backing dance track creates a slightly hypnotic effect that entices the body to move and groove, whether it wants to or not.

Wedance at the Woolly Mammoth’s Mane stage are up against some tough competition in the 10.40pm time slot. Sadly the crowd aren’t as big as you would hope but that doesn’t stop the Seoul-based band putting on a fun set, even with some huge technical issues. You know what, welove Wedance and goddammit, they've got some dance moves.

Making waves across Australia following his opening set at Splendour in The Grass, it’s no shock that The Elephant is completely packed out for West Sydney’s hip hop talent Kwame. With a stage presence similar to that of Tyler The Creator, there’s no wonder the crowd is so insanely hyped for the rappers set. Opening with NO TIME, Kwame doesn’t even need to touch his microphone at some points - the crowd singing the track hooks themselves. Bringing up Phil Fresh for WHO DAT psyches up the crowd a little more, but witnessing the crowd singing along to closing track WOW almost overwhelms the in-awe rapper.

There’s been a lot of buzz about CLEWS; they were just signed to Wonderlick after all. We have also heard that it’s the first time it has rained at BIGSOUND ever in the event’s 16 years - can we get a meteorologist to fact check that, please? A bit of water wasn’t going to stop punters making a mad dash down to The Brightside to see the sibling duo rocking their folk magic on stage. Everything about the set just oozes top quality, but it is hearing Museum live that takes the cake. If you like First Aid Kit, watch this space.

CLEWS

Maybe it’s the rain or Family’s well-hidden facade but whatever it is, the crowd for Paces is nowhere as large as expected. That doesn’t stop the DJ and his cohort, which includes a guest vocal and dancers. It’s a set great for anyone that wants to dance their rain-related blues away.

Launceston duo Sumner combine electronic beats with live bass and guitar, evocative lyrics and a vocal line that often flicks into rap territory. Their first showcase under the tent in a rainy Ric's Backyard is impressive. Chloe Wilson's voice is strong and her symmetry with Jack McLaine is seamless. Let's call them an alternative version of Broods, with a tinge of Cardi B. A mash-up of Outkast's Miss Jackson with one of their original tracks is a clever finisher. There's a lot to like about this young duo.

After what seemed to be a rocky start for Linying’s BIGSOUND and Brisbane debut, she and her band found their groove and displayed the full effect of the Singaporean’s gorgeous, pure vocals. They perform new tune Paycheck, which has a James Blake meets R&B vibe that has the whole room swaying. To wrap up her performance, Linying serenades the audience with a cover of Frank Ocean’s Self Control and her own celebrated single, Sticky Leaves. 

Closing the Woolly Mammoth Mane stage is Jarrod Mahon, member of The Creases, a band who are no strangers to these stages, under his Emerson Snowe moniker. Shirt off, pants pulled high, the set begins with a couple of sound problems but Mahon handles it like a seasoned performer and it is quickly forgotten. The rest of the set is Mahon just doing what he does best. With an angelic voice that is not quite what you would expect, punters are treated to a romantic set with jangly, guitar pop undertones, all epitomised in highlight track Sunlight. There are a couple of Ezra Furman (sonically) and Iggy Pop (aesthetically) comparisons thrown around, but it is Daniel Johnston who most springs to mind, and not just because of the Hi, How Are You tattoo we spot on Mahon’s back.

Emerson Snowe

We think this might be Crow Bar Black’s biggest crowd of the evening and my word, do The Beths deserve it! Fresh off the back of the release of their latest album, Future Me Hates Me, they tear through a great set, which includes some excellent balloon-based banter. Go and see them before they hop back across the ditch.

The rebirth of Butterfingers continues at BIGSOUND's Elephant Hotel, with a set that can be described as a weird hybrid of alternative rock and grunge combined with a taste of the old school rap that we know from the Brisbane artists. "In case it sucks, we got the new shit out of the way." The new stuff doesn't suck, but it's an example of the diverse creative juices that flow in the band. The new direction certainly points to the future, but it's the old tracks Everytime, I Love Work and Yo Mamma that really got the Elephant Hotel pumping. The local group still have a huge following and even on a Tuesday night at 11:30pm, they are right into it. Will the new sound keep their old fans as well as gain new ones? Time will tell.

Butterfingers

Strangely enough, there’s nowhere that you’ll find better camaraderie than at a remotely heavy set. Only a few minutes before they’re due to begin, Brisbane’s STATESIDE can be found talking amongst fans. Don’t let their kindness fool you though, because as they get straight into their set there’s a few spin kickers within the small crowd of The Brightside. With Erin Reus’ vocals feeding perfectly within the mix of guitars and drums, one begs to ask why there weren’t more people occupying the venue.

Closing the first night of BIGSOUND 2018 at Heya Bar is new superstar in the making, Eliott. Her set is full of simple, emotional tunes that show off the extent of her impressive pipes. Her voice moves effortlessly from heartbreakingly delicate and beautiful to determined, strong and powerful. With tones reminiscent of Florence Welch and Vera Blue, this girl might be new to the music scene but you would never have known it. If there is one artist you listen to from this first night, let it be Eliott.