Live Review: Little May, E^ST, AUSTRALIA

The night began with the excitement-infusing and genre-bashing AUSTRALIA, the band — “not the country, also not country music” — as specified many times throughout the set, with contagious grins. Their stage presence was infectious due to their quirky anecdotes, mostly coming from the keyboardist, as well as their evident chemistry as a group. The vocals at times seemed shaky and flat, although the musicianship and personality of the band made up for this extensively with impressive layering and visually interesting drumming to end.

As the Metro Theatre began to fill up, E^ST entered the stage with immense confidence and a killer voice, totally making the audience forget she was the support act, rather commanding the attention a main would. E^ST’s music lurked with creepy undertones, although still was able to maintain a quality of likeness and pop. Her dancing around the stage proved a huge hit, getting the crowd really pumped up. E^ST’s vocal proved strong and deep, her falsetto even remained dense and refined specifically in the transitional intro into her hit single, The Alley. This was truly a stunning moment and was the complete standout of her almost flawless set.

From the moment Little May graced the stage, they enthralled listeners with their enchanting lyrics, effortless harmonies and gracious build-ups. Their tune Seven Hours was a real stunner. “Give me back my love so my body can forgive me,” the lead sang out, her wavering folk-tone placed at the foreground of all the sound frequencies. 

Home glowed with slight country and western vibes; tambourine added a great texture while the other members hypnotised the audience further with their multifaceted glory. The contrast between the two main vocalists surprisingly didn’t manage to leave a dent in the set or add any confusion. Their voices just melded so well together, so these vocal swaps were only a slight change, creating a little more interest. After stomping and clapping from the enthralled crowd, Little May then returned with their song Hide — written, according to the band “when [they] were 22 and angsty” — which is a true standout, with its relatable lyrics and the band's sonic energy coming together beautifully to end a thrilling night.