Reviews

If this sounds like a love story perhaps it was, and if you love your rock music without pretence but with a whole lot of Southern-inspired hospitality then get on down to an Alabama Shakes show while they are still playing smaller venues.

The night was then closed with an incredible set by the Red Hot Chili Peppers. One of the world’s most celebrated rock bands, the group certainly lived up to their title as they faced a packed-out main arena.

Fast becoming an institution on Melbourne’s festival calendar, the 2013 edition of Sugar Mountain offers up plenty of quirky hipster cool, good music and fun times.

Mr Brightside exploding into the Metro with houselights still on, Flowers getting a look at the sold-out room singing his lyrics back to him.

TV Snow may become Australian indie rock stalwarts someday; they certainly know how to write a catchy song. But that day is not today.

There is a sense of him getting this particular set of songs out of his system before something more substantial but even as a stopgap this is a brave exercise in sensitive and creative song craft.

Perhaps his dimness is his genius. Without it, maybe, we wouldn’t have albums like this. And that would be a tragedy. Wonderful stuff.

All the while the audience marvels at her beauty, her remarkable voice and the incredible music and vitality that pours forth from this amazing woman.