Shining BirdSeekae's Alex Cameron is too charismatic to ignore, even when on his own. In solo guise with vocals and effects, joined by a saxophonist and drummer, Cameron grooved his way through a neat and 'singer-songwriter' styled set. Supported by the weight of his rather excellent She's Mine electro-pop single, Cameron's solo style is much more Jack Ladder-cum-Nick Cave-esque than might be expected, considering his band efforts. With a sexy dripping baritone he certainly had no problems charming the crowd who filled out the Danceteria before his set was half over.
Northern Illawarra's finest export since sunshine and beaches, Shining Bird have only moved from strength to strength since kicking into life last year. The group's shimmering experimental pop, showcased on brilliant debut album Leisure Coast, is as hypnotic as it is genuine. Fortunately, the band's shows never fail to deliver this sound as living ideas. The interplay of these six gents is so natural and effortless it would be easy to hate them were the music not so gorgeous. Dane Taylor's baritone holds together the multi-layered sounds like a pro, and gives the whole affair a gravitas hardly any year-old bands can lay claim to. Guitarists with effects boards as impressive and complicated as those littered on the floor around Shining Bird will warrant shoegazing/dream pop references, and these styles are present in the group's music (particularly live), but these stylistic touchstones never dominate the sonic ideas or get in the way of a delightful hook. Describing bands as 'gorgeous' or 'pretty' is cliché to the point of frustration, but there really is no way around it when talking about Shining Bird. Whether they focus more on abstract soundscapes or the folksy hopeful existentialism of stand-out tune Keep Warm, there's no way to avoid the fact that Shining Bird are one of the best up-and-coming band's in the state. Do yourself a favour and catch them live as soon as possible.
