Live Review: Dick Diver, Holy Balm, The Ocean Party, Day Ravies

This month saw the iPhone 6 announced, with it’s onboard defibrillator and it’s 400 gigawatt discombobulation engine allowing for emoticons that can convey your mood up to 11 percent more convincingly than your face.

This month also saw the death of a Manus Island Refugee due to an infected cut on his foot. This backward age we live in, filled with robot vacuums and heartbreakingly curable deaths. Where else but the Marrickville Bowling Club could one have such a revelatory evening.

Local bands and punters came out in droves to raise money for the Building Bridges For Refugees Foundation. A charity dedicated to fighting the only policy in existence that both sides of parliament seem to be in unison on.

Deep into an action packed night, Day Ravies impressed with their tight, nagging drum beats contrasted with deliciously airy vocals and swirling guitars that built to the point in which a head bang or two wasn’t frowned upon.

Next up, The Ocean Party belted out a mellow set of reverb soaked wonder. Pulsing disco synths and delectable nonsensical banter characterised a wonderfully nonchalant performance that culminated in a fast and furious stutter step procession that had the crowd pumped and baying for more.

Holy Balm brought a distinctly different flavour to proceedings, a relief from a lineup of impressive, yet similar acts. An eclectic blend of sometimes funky, sometimes moody, always upbeat tunes; vocalist Emma Ramsay gets a reprieve for an occasionally pitchy delivery because of her almost Thom Yorkian commitment to never stop bopping until the final key was struck.

Dick Diver capped off the evening with a quick, down to earth set brimming with slow builds and singalongs. The band continues to produce music with the rare ability to evoke a time and place, to be explosive and yet conversational. They ended the night on a powerful instrumental jam — proof that actions speak louder than words--which was really what the night was all about.