Posts Tagged ‘ dreamtime ’

Dreamtime @ Black Bear Lodge

January 27th, 2012

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Dreamtime. Shooting details: 1/200s, f/2.0, ISO3200.

Date: January  22, 2012
Venue: Black Bear Lodge, Brisbane
Acts:  Dreamtime, Sawtooth, Conor MacDonald

The Gin Club’s Conor MacDonald is a man of few words, but, gosh, his singing voice is a cracker. The handful of tunes he selects from his contributions to Brisbane’s famed alt-country ensemble suffer not a whit from the lack of a backing band. An Horse, in particular shines, as MacDonald’s halting, softly intimate voice — freed from the usual Gin Club ornamentation — amps the tenderness of this oddest of love songs. Apparently MacDonald is playing more solo shows during February. Seek one out.

Aidan Moore’s solo project Sawtooth takes a more unusual approach, blending gentle folk music with buzzing psychedelia. The hard-edged contrast of slabs of see-sawing reverb against golden-hued guitar tones makes a challenging listen, but one suspects that’s the point — it’s supposed to be an uneasy balance. Read more

Nikko @ Woodland Bar

April 30th, 2011

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Date: April 29, 2011
Venue: Woodland Bar
Acts: Nikko, Founds, Dreamtime

A circuitous route to the Woodland Bar tonight via the Queensland Council of Unions’ Labour Day dinner means missing the fine sounds of Dreamtime. This is a pity, as I was looking forward to another installment of their lush rock-psychedelia after their excellent Beetle Bar set supporting The Smokestack Orchestra. I  manage to catch the conclusion of indie sextet Founds‘ last song, and it’s great — a shimmering blend of multiple guitars and piano-synths.

Tonight is Nikko’s final fling before heading back into the studio to record a follow-up to their 2010 release The Warm Side. It’s also the first time I’ve caught them sans their occasional violinist. The lack doesn’t diminish the songs in the slightest — in fact the band fashions a toffee-thickness to their sound that seems to exceed any previous occasion I’ve seen them. Read more

The Smokestack Orchestra @ The Beetle Bar

April 18th, 2011

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Date: April 15, 2011
Venue: The Beetle Bar
Acts: The Smokestack Orchestra, Butcher Birds, Die On Planes, Dreamtime

There are several moments tonight when I am just blown away by the force of the bands on display.

Everything about Die On Planes furious racket from the slow Sabbath-like riffing that defines much of their one-tune, 25-minute set to the moaning chant at the end that alternates between nihilistic screaming and a raga-like throat-singing. The point when Donovan Miller’s sticks begin to shred, sliver and splinter in his hands as Butcher Birds amp things up on Bare Arms. Then, later, the pent ferocity of Stacey Coleman’s vocals throughout new song Volt.

And when headliners The Smokestack Orchestra shove even more bottom-end grunt under the engine courtesy of a second drummer. I don’t know if it’s a permanent thing — it’s not as though Skritch is a lightweight on the skins — but it was glorious to watch and just as popular with everyone else judging from the enthusiastic, drunken dancing going on.