Live Review: The Flairz, Morgan Bain

The Navy Club once again played host to a plethora of great acts as part of the Hidden Treasures Music Festival. This week included the one-off reunion of former local rock'n'roll stars The Flairz, who hadn't played together in years. Adding an element of excitement to the night, many long-time fans were ecstatic to witness their favourite band playing again. 

Morgan Bain kicked off the night with smooth and crunchy blues and soul, his vocals inherently stealing the limelight. Supported by a band who were just as bluesy in their instrumentals as he was vocally, the keyboardist deserved particular lip-service; with each chord smashed out feeling like a smooth, classy punch in the gut - bludgeoned yet bluesy. Ripping into a cover of Anthony Hamilton's track Comin' From Where I'm From, Bain eloquently displayed his skills as a surprisingly good rapper. Exuberant and multi-talented, there's no doubt Bain is set for big things; already receiving a lot of adulation from the crowd after wrapping up his set.

The Flairz exploded onto the stage looking older and wiser. Having started performing as a band back when they were as ten year olds, it was no wonder the members have been up to various different pursuits since disbanding in '09. Their set was peppered with witty remarks about their former youth when performing as a band, including a story about getting intoxicated on Redskins — it truly gave the gig the feel of a reunion.

Dion and John Mariani gave it their all, each sharing the role of vocals throughout the songs. Propped up by the artisanal drums from Scarlett Stevens and playful bass by Georgia Derums, their set felt like a much-missed relic of the past. Evoking a classic, youthful style of rock'n'roll from yesteryear, tracks like Sidewalk Surfer and Bullseye blew away the crowd in a whirlwind of heady guitar solos and scream-and-shout vocals. The night was truly a one-off event, giving off a twinge of sadness towards the end of the night. The Flairz closed in a haze of hard rock goodness. Hopefully they'll play again someday. Who knows?