Live Review: Feuds, beneb, Acid On Andy

Tonight, The Bearded Lady is the place to be; before the doors have even opened, there are people clamouring to buy last-minute tickets to this phenomenal line-up and sold-out show.

Opening the show, Acid On Andy are gearing up for what will be their final show after a six-month-or-so absence from the live scene. Front-men Alex Stewart and Andos “Andy” Jay are slowly crooning into their microphones as punters start to file in to the modest room, patrons of the bar just outside craning their heads in as the first notes start to fill the venue. Starting with popular song Psycho, Stewart’s vocals start to get bolder and fill out the room; further into the set, keyboardist Maddie Stewart (also known as ‘Moodie Gloom’) starts blending her beautiful harmonies into the mix, and during L.S.D., her voice soars up into an ethereal wail, hypnotising the crowd. Finishing up with fan favourite Lose My Mind, the crowd is full of energy, and the band is matching it, joking around with the comfort of people who have been friends for years. It’s hard to believe this will be the last time they’ll play together in this particular collective.

Up next is beneb, with their friends in three-piece Feeds. As they play, it’s hard to tell who is having more fun; the band, with high-energy movements and guitars moving everywhere, or the crowd, who are jumping around to the vibes of songs 1 2 3 4 and People. With rhythmic guitar riffs and up-tempo drums, beneb’s vocals entrance the crowd, punters swaying back and forward. A few songs in, and the beat picks up, and you can see a few people at the front of the modest crowd jumping around and dancing eclectically, much to the delight of the musicians, who follow suit. The room is full of electricity and the mood is high, everyone waiting in anticipation for the delights the night has in store.

Shortly after the last lingering notes of beneb’s Former/Latter have left the room, Brisbane favourites Wolver is up on stage and ready to play, starting off with a beautiful and hypnotic intro. More and more people are crowding into the room, and it becomes hard to move around as Water and Only Human leave everyone in a trance, swaying along to the beautiful vocals of frontman Hamish Hunter. Along with the dissolution of Acid On Andy, tonight sees Wolver say goodbye to founding member and lead guitarist Hayden Knight, whose talents over the last few years have helped evolved the band into the influential musicians they are today.

Finally, after much anticipation, Feuds have taken the stage to release their debut EP, Stay Lost. The room is at full capacity, and the crowd is bubbling as everybody vies for the opportunity to get to the front for this stellar headliner act. The band starts off and, even after a long night, they never let up, their energy pouring from the stage into the crowd, with guests dancing, jumping and singing along at every opportunity. A personal favourite of the night, Incinerator courses through, with old-timey guitar and drums pounding away to the delight of everyone watching. The bar starts to dwindle as everyone is drawn in to groove along. Nine-minute epic Carnival is announced as the evening’s last song, and the crowd is distraught, everyone demanding the night to go on.

As the band packs up, punters linger around, hoping to talk to band members and make new friends. They’ve got the right idea; if tonight has proven anything, it’s that —brimming with as much promise as they are— Feuds are definitely a band to keep a close eye on in the coming months.