City Calm DownPacked into the intimate surrounds of Mojo's Bar, the crowd waited for City Calm Down to take the stage for their second sold-out WA show.
Shadowy figures appeared to eliciting a huge cheer as the band kicked straight into Border On Control from the new album, In A Restless House. The crowd started moving together as if the band had been playing for hours already. Jack Bourke’s deep, baritone voice merged perfectly with the upbeat drums and keyboards, his enthusiastic movement around the small stage captivating all and sundry
Next they went back in time with their single, Pavement, from 2014. Judging from the crowd's reaction they had been with City Calm Down since those earlier releases. Bourke acknowledged the crowd and commented that they were going to slow it down a bit with Wandering. Not staying slow for too long, as is their style, Wandering started with Bourke’s voice echoing through the venue, the song soon building to a passionate and intense crescendo.
Son, one of the singles released from the album, with an almost church-like organ intro quickly led into its hard-to-forget chorus and higher vocal range than other CCD songs.
The band changed it up by performing their like a version cover of Foals' Spanish Sahara. It was a great version when performed on-air, but to hear it live in just showcased the talent and versatility of this band.
With a run of songs from the new album - If There’s A Light On, Falling, In A Restless House and Your Fix - the crowd was enthralled in the music and the 'record quality' live set they were witnessing. They then broke into one of their most popular songs, Rabbit Run, with its synths and almost Cure-sounding guitar riffs. They then launched into one of the best Bowie covers I’ve ever seen with a performance of Let's Dance. The whole venue erupted into one mass of jumping people happy to be dancing like no one was watching.
Pleasure And Consequences from the Movements EP was next, to the utmost delight of the crowd. The front row of eager, love-struck girls almost dragged Bourke into the crowd as he lunged over the stage, leaning on the ceiling beam for support.
Judging from this performance and the strength of their debut album we will be seeing a lot more of City Calm Down, which can only be a good thing.
Originally published in X-Press Magazine
