Live Review: The Laurels, The Murlocs, Tiny Migrants

A gig run by a shoe company, at a secret venue, with free booze, is a delicate proposition and one that could easily come crashing down if handled poorly. The line-up is a good start, very credible bands that deserve a little extra promotion, and the branding is kept minimal enough that it doesn't intrude on the evening. The venue itself is novel, a chain factory out the back of Bowen Hills, the industrial grime of the shed matching well with the music on offer, and the sound is much better than many festivals manage in similarly difficult spaces.

The Brisbane offering for the night, Tiny Migrants, are up first, with the venue still only partially full, but they manage to pull the attention of the early-goers. Their tunes pack a lot of swagger into their brief running time, with enough pop sensibility to keep each song sharp and catchy despite the heavy distortion. Surf-rock melodies mix with and often dominate the garage rock foundation and the combination of male and female vocals balances the songs well, making for a very catchy start to the evening.

The wait for The Murlocs stretches on a bit, but it does allow the space to pack out. There's an odd synchronicity to the night, given the band's new single is Rattle the Chain, and the band themselves are loud, abrasive and pretty much perfect. As with the openers, at its heart this is dirty rock, but there are more than enough blues and country inflections to the guitar playing to make their take feel unusual, and it's nice to see the garage scene pushing in different ways against the confines of the genre. Frontman Ambrose Kenny Smith contorts on stage with a wiry charisma, and even when he stops singing to play some surprisingly effective harmonica – as he does in most songs – he remains a captivating presence.

The Laurels are usually the noisiest component of any given bill, but after the other bands tonight they feel positively restrained. A swirling mixture of psych and shoegaze, the band meld wall-of-sound distortion with warm melodies that make the songs inviting, creating a pleasant space to get lost in. The tight rhythm section holds the more expansive moments in check, and the alternating vocals are different enough to create clear distinctions in the mood of the songs. An outstanding performance from a band that should visit more often.

As the night wears on, and the crowd gets progressively drunker on the free booze, the mood stays upbeat and friendly, a credit to the audience and the welcoming space provided. Minor moral concerns aside, if more companies want to spend their marketing budget on presenting great live music, bring it on.