Live Review: The Jezabels, Lights, Snakadaktal, Festival Hall

The familiar walk from Southern Cross station to Festival Hall is lined with black leggings (beginning to wonder if a fashion memo had been missed). Attention is turned to the unforgiving winds on the first night of winter.

Snakadaktal shuffle on to the stage, they look nervous but after the first song, it's obvious they had nothing to be nervous about. Not only do Melbourne's Snakadaktal have one of the best band names to say (go on try it; it's pretty fun). The band, who have been touring the country all year, have been maturing their sound and become tighter.  There newer songs translate better at Festival Hall, as opposed to their old high school music, which seems lost in the size of the space. New song, Hung is evocative and dark with an intricate drum beat, in many ways the antithesis of Air. They end with another new song, Dance Bear. Festival Hall (is now 'legging' full) and rocking out with them. After the final note, Snakadaktal thank us, unplug their own instruments and humbly walk off.

Lights is a babe! Not only is she moving between two synthesiser's effortlessly, she's also wearing leggings (much to the throng's delight). Lights chats to us with ease, a nice development from Snakadaktal whose banter was minimal. Although aesthetically pleasing in Saviour, Lights is off tune in her higher register. The crowd go wild regardless, but this is disappointing.

Ducking out for a cigarette before The Jezabels start is met with conflict. Warning smokers: once you're in Festival Hall, unless you want to use the ATM to, cough, buy overpriced drinks, cough, cough, then you can't leave.

The Jezabels step out in the safety of darkness, we all know the foursome are there though (well the front throng sure does and alerts the rest of us). The drums start us of, three flashes of blinding light and it's begun with Endless Summer, the instantly uplifting number that demonstrates the sheer power of Hayley Mary's vocals, which are quite simply staggering. This tour, hot off their debut album Prisoner, is a considered production. Hayley Mary is styling a '90s ensemble (revealing her enviable torso) she's certainly living up to rock-chick ideals. Mary's silhouette in Rosebud is reminiscent of seeing a young Gwen Stefani rocking out on this very stage some ten years ago. Drummer Nik Kaloper has skills. Whilst bashing out complicated grooves Kaloper looks effortless and at ease, like he's just hanging out on the beach at Byron.

It's clear The Jezabels' Melbourne fans missed them whilst they were touring. An illegal substance is wafting, from the moment they start (considering you can't smoke, intrigue is ignited... Bouncers?).

Cassandra Fumi