PondPeter Bibby came on strong with some swaggering rhythm & blues, as the first lyric “Hello, my name is cunt” set the tone for the evening. Bibby's caterwauling vocals rang out, backed by thumping drums care of Pond's Nick Allbrook, and the tunes were fine, the real standout was Bibby's lyrics, brutally personal and honest and packed with clever irony.
While it was simple and rough around the edges, it was hard not to get caught up in the pure fun of Doctopus' set; full of energy, personality and charismatic machismo, the high energy rock tunes set the stage for the epic hooks to come. Frontman Stephen Bellair had a magnetic, Andrew WK energy about him. However, The Ballad Of Dean, a slower number about a mate who'd moved to Melbourne, brought things to a halt towards the end of their set - a slow, dragging three-chord number which didn't build to anything but repetitions of “Yeah, you're legit.” However, they managed to turn things around when members of Pond (all but Allbrook) jumped onstage armed with percussion and lively energy for closer I Don't Wanna Be Here.
The crowd, riled up by the supports, and far less placid and stoned than I might've imagined, channelled Pond's high energy psych rock tunes into rowdy moshing. The band had the audience in the palm of their hands, and the group's manic energy permeated the room. Every song was delivered with precision and power - they're clearly a band who are at the absolute peak of their game. Say what you will about Nick Allbrook's departure from Tame Impala: it sure seemed like he's pouring everything he's got into Pond.
It was surprising the extent to which the set's highlights were its softer moments - while there were absolutely no shortage of soaring, heart-pumping highs (led by Jay Watson's stellar guitar work), the band showed remarkable restraint and delicacy in lighter moments. You Broke My Cool had the entire crowd singing along, while new single (and the show's closer) Midnight Mass (At The Market Street Payphone) gorgeously straddled the line between drifting, wailing verses and its captivating, explosive chorus.
