Live Review: Grrl Pal, Childsaint, Childs Play, Marc Antonio

Decorations stemmed from the ceiling in what was no doubt an effort to make tonight as special as possible for local synth-pop act Grrl Pal, who were launching their first EP on Friday night. Marc Antonio, who is one half of the pop duo Antonio Paul, kicked things off with a half-acoustic, half-electro mix of tracks.

Building his percussion by tapping his guitar and making noises with his mouth while incorporating the use of a vocal loop was impressive, but the man’s smooth vocal tones were certainly the standout in a very enjoyable performance. Childs Play upped the ante with a brass-drenched blend of catchy hip hop and filled out the room in the process. Shannon Patterson seemed to spew his way through verse while Christian Ruggiero and Sam Newman kept the beat with their respective saxophone and trombone skills.

By the time Childsaint took to the stage, there was a line stretching down the road outside the venue.

Childsaint, who are “completely different to Childs Play”, procured a wonderfully enticing set of dark, dreamy folk with a whole lot of attitude, almost like a gutsier version of Warpaint. Their vocal harmonies in particular were top notch, and set the bar high for the headliners, who emerged from a chink in the curtain backdrop to momentous applause.

With a quick introduction and thanks, Grrl Pal jumped straight into their first single NGHT, the electronic bleeps complementing Jay Grafton’s smooth pop vocals perfectly.

The trio worked through all the tracks from their new EP and then some, Grafton incorporating dance moves and hand gestures to go with each tune, while Dan Craig seemed to bounce in an almost jungle-like fashion as he kept the beat. The highlight of the evening definitely came with the two final tracks – Dare and EP title track Paradise, which saw the crowd surge forward to make the most of the last minutes. A roar erupted at the conclusion of the set and this scribe would think both band and audience couldn’t have been happier with how the night turned out. Grrl Pal are destined for big things, so let’s hope this launch was only the first chapter of what will hopefully be long and prosperous project.