Live Review: True Science, 44th Sunset, The Shops, She Leaves The Mountain, DJ Phat Matt

A night at Astor Lounge is always intimate thanks to its small, well presented space.

DJ Phat Matt made sure he pleased any early birds that happened to make it for the 6pm start with some cool cat mixes. The first band off the rank was She Leaves The Mountain, featuring vocalist Dimity and End Of Fashion’s guitarist, Rodney Aravena. Their doomish elements added a nice quality to the blues-rock style. The next act, The Shops, seemed to receive amazing feedback about their performance at the end of the night. Cameron Hanush even claimed to have put on his best flannel shirt for the event!

The alternative indie synth-oriented four-piece 44th Sunset appeared as a duo on this special occasion and their music flowed really well as they bashed out guitar harmonies over a mix of shiny and dark synth sounds with organised samples hosted by Nik Thompson on the guitar, vocals and sample triggers and Jack Charles on the guitar as usual. They played a last hard, really fast-paced, vocally intense track, amping people up for the denouement.

A successful second EP release brings duo True Science one step closer to “famousity and wealthosity” with their creative glam fashion sense. Harvey Rae took to the stage first in bodacious style wearing his back-lit glasses that proved legendary, managing to satisfy his audience before even playing any music. Vocalist Vive Oldham was next on the stage followed by newest member, Bethany Chrismark, also on vocals, their vocal registers well-suited to one another, Chrismark singing the lower harmonies. They began the set with Predator, before going straight into The Beast, from their first two track. Their style ranges from smooth bell synth parts to staccato electronic sounds with a real gloomy edge, including first song on their EP double A-side, Soldier. Oldham went on to chat about her love for Bruce Springsteen, joking about their being on a first name basis before going on to cover I’m On Fire. They closed with Old Coast Skyrail Track, a much deserved encore that ended in a wicked scene of friends and The Shops’ members jumping on stage to help chant to the epic outro, topping off the night.