Live Review: The Bamboos, Oxblvd

OXBLVD frontman Ed Worland ambled onto the Factory stage with a certain understated, laidback confidence. Could be the Akubra-style hat perhaps? The singer also seemed to come with three carbon copies who lined up at the front of the stage and nodded in agreement for most of the set, and what a lovely, polished set it was. Country rock with a dash of blues thrown in and a well-thought-out collection of songs that sounded both new and familiar, but definitely worth a second listen. The stand-out song was the beautiful ballad, My Lady.
The Bamboos took to the stage promptly at 10.15pm, which just goes to show how professional and organised these guys are. My hat goes off to a band that can organise rehearsal around nine members because it's sure hard enough to organise with just three or four. However, it was apparent that the members of The Bamboos spend a lot of time rehearsing and playing as they're an act that cannot be faulted for energy, enthusiasm and precision. One thing this act definitely knows how to do is put on a fun show. Singers Kylie Auldist and Ella Thompson share duties as feature vocalists and this seems to work well as both contribute something unique to the songs they perform. Both are equally captivating yet their polarity brings a pointed eclecticism to the foreground as they contribute their own individual nuances to the Bamboos' overall funky and soulful vibe. Treating the appreciative Factory audience to a selection of songs from their new release, Fever In The Road, as well as some tracks from previous releases, The Bamboos put on a fantastic show, proving perhaps on this tour that they are a stand-out act all on their own, not just a great house band with two extraordinary vocalists.