Live Review: Gang Of Youths, Jordan Leser, Jenny Broke The Window

Local crowd-pleasers Jenny Broke The Window had the room snapped to attention. A backdrop of synth, percussion and delicately placed pre-recorded backing made the band's polished and atmospheric (read: reverb-y) indie-rock tunes pop. The group stuck the landing with the powerful, thumping Rum 'N' Cola, whose boppy chorus and Cage The Elephant-ine guitar trickery is just a damn good time.
Jordan Leser's pure, soulful voice (at times reminiscent of Laura Marling's, and others of Stevie Nicks') led the charge on subtle yet powerful piano ballads. However, it was hard to shake the vibe that the crowd weren't too interested, especially in the big wide club at Goodgod, which is infamous for carrying crowd noise onstage. Regardless, Leser and band tenaciously delivered an intimate performance for those who took the time to listen, and it made me hungry for the opportunity to see them again under more welcoming circumstances.
It was clear from minute one that the crowd had come for one thing only: much-buzzed-about locals Gang of Youths, who, fresh from touring nationally with the likes of Vampire Weekend, are set to head back to their new home in the States, presumably to work on their debut LP. As the swaggering posse took the stage, it was impossible to miss the band's professionalism and comfort on stage – these guys already feel like veterans. Despite seeming a little weary from recent touring, it was evident they weren't about to hold anything back.
Each track the band pelted out felt like some passionate odyssey, or some kind of epic written in stone, thanks to the relentless energy and conviction of the band, driven by frontman David Leaupepe's Win-Butler-meets-Bruce-Springsteen grizzly yelps. It's the band's machismo, with dense, muscly guitars and powerful vocals, paired with a delicate and refined touch, that makes the emotion in songs like crowd favourite Evangelists feel so real.