Live Review: Ball Park Music, Eagle & The Worm, Jeremy Neale

The doors aren't even open and the line already disappears around the corner, that's how eager fans of Brissy's Ball Park Music are. Once inside the beautiful Forum Theatre, those who don't set up camp at the front fill up the booths. 

First on stage is Brisbane's Jeremy Neale sporting double denim and accompanied by his band of “party brothers”. The boys warm up the crowd with their indie pop under a sleepy blue stage light.

Next up is local band Eagle & The Worm who are as fun as always with their funky horns and big sound. A real pleasure to watch live, this eight-piece band play with the kind of enjoyment that demonstrates they're doing exactly what they love to do.

The room is filled with a youthful crowd, of the hip and trendy variety, and all are in a good mood. We sing along to ABBA's Thank You For The Music, which acts as entrance song for Ball Park Music. It's hard not to like Ball Park Music: their energy is high, their songs makes you feel good and their lyrics sometimes catch you by surprise. For example, there probably aren't too many bands that can get a large crowd to confess to being exclusive masturbators, singing, “I only have sex with myself!” at the top of their lungs during the chorus of Sad Rude Future Dude. I Fucking Love You lights a fire under the crowd and gets everyone dancing and wiggling their hips along with singer Sam Cromack, who bears an uncanny resemblance to Louis Theroux. Highlights (apart from bass player Jennifer Boyce's metallic shiny pants) include the delicate Coming Down and joyous Surrender.

In between the mix of much-loved songs, Ball Park slip in a few newies – one of which they are still tossing around a name for. The band encourage everyone to film the new songs on their phones and put them on YouTube.

This gig is a bit of a rip-snorter that has something for everyone, whether you are their biggest fan and get to hear Sea Strangers (a song they haven't played live for three years), or you only know their hit It's Nice To Be Alive. They also throw a hint of MMMBop in there and finish up with The Beatles' Eight Days A Week so everyone can sing along.