Live Review: Ok Moon

A loud ethereal soundscape introduces the band like the opening sequence to an epic movie. We’re immediately drawn into the musical world of Ok Moon. This exciting hybrid sound comes from the new creative collaboration between LANKS, Dustin Tebbutt, Xavier Dunn and Hayden Calnin. 

“It’s really wonderful playing this music for you live for the first time – it’s like giving birth,” says Tebbutt. They’ve been working away on this project for two years and are now ready to bring their live show to the stage. They’ve only released two songs so far (Loved You Right and Harpoon), so it’s interesting hearing them play a full set of music that we’ve mostly never heard before – there’s something special about listening to a body of music for the first time live. We get acquainted with their new music and it's so emotionally charged it leaves you on the verge of tearing up with every intimately woven piece. 

The four exceptionally talented artists swap instruments to play to their strengths – from lush piano melodies, sweeping electronics, soothing guitars, captivating cellos and melodious flutes. LANKS (real name Will Cuming) reveals that as solo artists coming together they’ve had a lot of long debates about everything from what their first song release would be to the dress code for tonight’s show. They decided to go for the very conservative all black matching boy band attire. It’s apparent that every decision they’ve made together has been well thought out and it’s apparent they have strong chemistry and connections to one another.

They reveal that each carefully crafted song started out written over email before they got together in person for writing sessions. Dunn shares that one song came about after drinking some scotch one night without Calnin present. “It didn’t feel right when we weren’t all together, so we Skyped Calnin to include him and finish the song,” Dunn explains.

Within their set, they include two incredible covers: the first is Jack River’s Fool's Gold and the second is Coldplay’s The Scientist. They give new life to both songs and they have the audience silent and still, hanging off every note as their four voices become one. To commemorate their first live show they take a moment to have a group photo with the audience before a final jam that builds intensity around Calnin’s breathtaking falsetto. Ok Moon have eclipsed our hearts and minds with this first show and we can’t wait to hear more from what might just be our new favourite band.