Live Review: The Shallows,Rainy Day Woman, Runner, Anton Franc

Rarely does a band as big and illustrious as this evening's headliners get a chance to actually fit on a stage, but more on that later as first up, folk quartet Anton Franc were to get under the lights. Having to work with a small crowd in a big room, the band's engagement with the audience kept the set endearing, a large factor in not letting the venue get the better of them. Showing an array of stringed instruments among their electronic spices, the well-executed harmonies complemented the mild folktronica subtleties of the act, the culmination of which was a refreshing breath among an occasionally generic folk scene.

Having launched their debut EP at this very venue just a month ago, Runner was back to exercise some more post-indie rock. With their three-part harmonies sounding as good as this scribe has heard from the act, the layers of gently verbed, strummed chords, sharp percussion and energetic, pulsing basslines showed off some really good songs. A quality act that has deservedly made a solid impression on the local scene, tonight's set was damn good.

Rainy Day Women followed and like the previous acts, confronted the challenges inherent in the capacity of the room. Coming out with vocals firing (an improved component of the band), while the energy levels took a while to get going, the groove and melody of the group eventually got them there. Despite some unruly, yet hilarious, hecklers, a world first was witnessed when a good chunk of people actually moved forward when requested by the band. Although not the group's best performance, the quality of songwriting held up above all else.

All that was left was for closers The Shallows to bring the night home in style. As the 11-piece took to the stage to launch their debut album, the room quickly filled. Demonstrating some exquisite supporting female vocals and a shitload of instruments (cello, violins, harp, guitars, keys, bass, drums, trombone and a computer) the band certainly are thorough, in an Arcade Fire kind of way. Possessing enough humility (perhaps too much) to sound like one man's songs magically coming to life through lush, grandiloquent chamber-pop arrangements, in light of a mix that wasn't doing them any favours stripping away a few layers could have helped tonight. Concluding the set with reckless abandon (that perhaps could have been employed earlier), the night ended with a considerable peak.