Live Review: TV On The Radio, Kirin J Callinan

Vivid went out with a cacophonous roar in the cavernous space of the Concert Hall at the Sydney Opera House on Monday, Kirin J Callinan bringing his experimental blend of genres to the stage, with erratic moves and a certain delight in making people feel awkward. His power lies not only in screaming instruments and growling vocals, but also in the total physicality of his onstage presence. White-robed and self-assured as ever, spinning his guitar, Callinan played a set that included tracks from Embracism as well as one from his forthcoming album. 

Halo and Embracism explored themes of death, sex and conflict with Callinan’s trademark driving beats and grating guitar. Landslide was a welcome interlude in the chaos of looped beats and provocative imperfections, though it was amazing to fully enjoy the sound in this huge setting. 

Killing it since 2001, TV On The Radio entered the Hall in the company of a trombone and a wind chime suspended from the neck of one member’s guitar. With this being their fifth trip to Oz, the indie-rock six-piece have their performance down pat, playing a great mix of new tunes from their latest album, Seeds, and tracks from older albums, including Staring At The Sun, Wolf Like Me and Repetition. 
As a part of Vivid Live, the lighting was evocative, complementing the music with bright colours and huge industrial lights glowing orange over the band. With their seemingly at odds blend of super-chill attitude and pure energy, the band had everyone up from their seats and dancing by third song, Golden Age. There was never a moment of doubt in their set, which was completely different to Callinan’s frequent jarring interjections. Dynamic and confident, TVOTR proved yet again a force to be reckoned with.