PondSeveral small groups of people are scattered across the wooden floors of The Triffid as Melbourne’s RVG take to the red-lit stage. Sounding almost like The Cure, but with the bearing of Courtney Barnett, frontwoman Romy Vager woos the crowd with an eerie and melodramatic set. They’re a fantastic addition to the night, although with band members staring at each other rather than the crowd it feels like they would rather be anywhere but the stage.
Pond jump onto the stage without any big introduction, which feels intimate, like coming to a friend's show rather than a set from one of the biggest names in Australian music. Frontman Nicholas Allbrook thanks everyone for coming, and as he opens with the sombre first verse of Daisy the crowd is already singing along, breaking out into dance as the band reaches the chorus.
They continue on with Sixteen Days and Sweep Me Off My Feet, then Fire In The Water and Zen Automaton. Jay Watson and Allbrook duet on the down-tuned Burnt Out Star, and as the final drum section kicks in Allbrook’s runs around the stage before leaping into the crowd a few times.
They introduce Tasmania, the title track off their new album. Only days old, it’s incredible to see so many people screaming “I might go shack up in Tasmania before the ozone goes, and paradise burns in Australia, who knows?”
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Perhaps one of the biggest moments between audience and band comes during Giant Tortoise, a clear crowd favourite – everyone’s either singing along with Allbrook or waving their arms in the air to every drum crash. Joe Ryan takes the reigns with a cover of Bee Gees’ Jive Talkin’, but then there’s a smooth transition into Paint Me Silver that couldn’t be more perfect. They close their set with The Weather and briefly leave the stage. While the crowd knows this surely isn’t the end, they still chant for another song. And Pond return to close with Medicine Hat and 30000 Megatons.
