Live Review: Wolf & Cub

Goodgod's danceteria was the perfect place for Wolf & Cub's launch of their double A-side single: the darkness was forgiving, the sound was perfect and the whole evening had this kind of dirty-little-secret intimacy – probably brought on by the fact that all the bands were close enough to touch and the venue feels like some kind of tucked-away evil lair that only moonlights as a music venue.

In a world of empty words and vacuous promises, Machine played an entirely wordless set. That's right. They took to the stage in silence and played a set of strange, synthesised drumbeats and looping, hypnotic harmonies. Watching their set was a strange experience – like watching a foreign language television show, full of incredibly bright, neon colours and electric explosions, but without being able to understand any of it. However, this reviewer likes bright colours and flashing lights and electricity. This is a language worth listening out for.

The Sures are a young quartet and it'll be interesting to see how their sound develops. Though they err on the side of generic indie pop, keep an ear pricked as the year goes on, because one suspects these guys are only going to get better. They seem to combine a kind of humble showmanship with confident, assertive performances – their frontman graciously thanked Wolf & Cub for “letting us use their stuff”, just before launching neatly into a spirited rendition of their elegant track Poseidon.

The size of the crowd gathered for the Wolf & Cub set was probably amplified by the smallness of the venue, but then it's been some time since the Adelaide band has made the trip here. The little venue fitted the band perfectly, from the unassuming way in which they stepped on and off the stage, to the way in which their potent psychedelic sounds wrapped their way around the room. Wolf & Cub's sounds are reverb-laden and warm, whilst also featuring irresistible, pounding bass lines and mind-altering, trippy melodies.

It was a night of new music and old music, of captivating performances built on vastly different styles and sounds. Though Wolf & Cub's tunes retain some of their magic once recorded, you can't replace the energy and sheer forcefulness they generate in a live setting. Hopefully it won't be another three years of waiting before the band venture back to Sydney.