Live Review: Trial Kennedy - Oxford Art Factory

Melbourne rockers Trial Kennedy hit the Oxford Art Factory stage for the last time on Friday night. And though it was a night of heavy-hearted goodbyes, the band put together a cracking rock'n'roll lineup that promised much in the way of the future, even as they put their own career to rest.

Lovers Jump Creek were that rare young band that already looked too big for a stage the size of Oxford Art Factory. With an average age of about 22/23, the band was extremely tight and frontman Mark Webber's voice danced around the dark rock with a dexterity matched by the rest of the band's proficiency. Sam Thomlinson in particular was able to pull out some pretty masterful guitar moments.

My Echo wore their influences proudly on their sleeves; their collared shirts, peaked caps and tattoos suggested an upbringing of The Clash, Flogging Molly, Against Me! and The Living End. Though these influences were all there in the music, the band pulled it all together into a set that was dynamic and engaging and hopefully soon, given time and a few more shows, their sound should be 100 per cent My Echo.

As peers of Trial Kennedy, After The Fall brought scorching melodic rock to a crowd happy to see their hometown boys. After The Fall started with old favourite Concrete Boots and dropped a bunch of new tracks before closing their set with hits Mirror, Mirror and Sunshine Showers.

Hilariously, Trial Kennedy had to start their set 20 minutes late after frontman Tim Morrison got stuck in a lift at the band's hotel, but once he'd made it to the venue the band charged through new and old songs alike, giving fans a taste of old favourites that haven't been in the set for a while. Knife Light, Damage On Parade and Sunday Warning charged up the crowd, while Colour Day Tours, with its “la-da-da-ladida-da's”, were the perfect chance for everyone in the room to add their voices to the sounds coming from the stage.

The encore was a bittersweet moment. The band kept their personal favourites – Exology and Neighbours – until last to round off the night and despite the late start, this show was a fitting way to draw the curtain on Sydney's relationship with Trial Kennedy.