Live Review: The Kite String Tangle, Kilter

Oxford Art Factory is a brilliant Sydney venue. Intimate enough that you can really see all the artists, but big enough that it doesn't feel like you're watching a band in a café. Kilter was super cool. He stood behind his plethora of boxes and gadgets that all made noises when he pushed their shiny buttons, producing really smooth tunes. He struck a brilliant balance between dance and mellow that was, when coupled with the lights and his slightly goofy dance moves, quite mesmerising. Judging by the way he was bopping away behind his decks, Kilter was having the most fun in the room. That's not to say the audience weren't enjoying themselves – the bar line was empty during his set, which is quite a feat for a warm-up act. 

Eventually, the curtains were pulled back to reveal one man, one keyboard and a truckload of fairy lights. It was time for The Kite String Tangle – Danny Harley. The production behind this show was phenomenal. The lighting technician had a set list with notes scribbled all over it, ensuring all the lights went on at the correct time and were synchronised with the music. The lights acted like beacons on stage, flicking on and off beats, providing a visually stunning show to accompany what was largely a very chilled-out musical performance.  The audience was all swaying and shoe-gazing in a typical Oxford Art way. Highlights of the set included Backbone and a cover version of Lorde's Tennis Courts. The show ended abruptly, without lead single, Given The Chance, being played. After the obligatory encore demand, Danny wandered back on stage, telling the audience to relax, assuring them that he “just needed a drink”, and proceeded to play the song they were all there to hear. 

Both artists exuded a certain earnest joy. They were both clearly very happy to be playing a sold-out show and repeatedly thanked the audience for coming along. In actuality, it should probably have been the audience thanking them for putting on a really cool show.