I had to wait until going on a surf rock appropriate holiday AND five day weekend to type this review, as this is my method. Well that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it.
Wavves and Best Coast are both fun sprightly bands, highly riding the massive wave of indie surf/stoner lo-fi rock that have been dominating airwaves over the past year or two, as well as my headphones (also see Beach House, the Drums, Surfer Blood, Neon Indian, et.al.). They all managed to tour around the same time as well, which is quite handy if that was what floated your boat at the moment.
The week started off with Wavves, whose very catching 3rd album 'King of the Beach' would have been an appropriate addition to my summer albums list (had it been worth celebrating). Having only heard this (oh me, what a lame late fan), I decided to check them out. Bleeding Knees Club supported, and the description given to me "They're like Wavves!" was pretty accurate. BKC consisted of 2 prepubescent looking lads, casually dressed in baseball caps and metro shirts, chatting to the audience like they were just mates sitting in on a jam session in
their garage. Their cassssual attitude worked a treat to relax the audience despite it's air of "hey we really don't know wtf we're doing..". Having said that, their bread and butter short fast Ramones-y indie punk tunes were played without a hitch... quite doable if you're using the same time signature/beat/chords/style for each one. They were entertaining enough, and I very much expect them to climb up the popularity ladder thanks to their slapdash style, and hopefully gain more experience and creativity along the way.
As Wavves took the stage in slightly similar attire (Chicago bulls shirt, welcome back to the fashion fold), it became obvious to me that so many in the young audience were wearing an odd assortment of hats. I guess this meant both BKC and Wavves were a hat, or cap band, with a cap audience.
That may have been the worst description of a band I've ever written...HEY LOOK HERE'S A PHOTO
The band appeared with energy levels already at 11, and maintaining throughout the night. They played a great deal of unfamiliar (to me) songs which were very much in the same vein as those I'd heard, and just as catching. As I watched the 3 piece, simply consisting of frontman Nathan Williams, drummer Jacob Cooper and bassist Stephen Pope, I realised how simply structured and themed their songs were... while still being a million times more complex and developed than their supports of course.
In that effect, they were very tight, nailing each song and building up in energy in all the right places. The crowd went insane for the title track hit, as well as "Idiot" and "Post Acid" as well as my own favourite, "Green Eyes". Through their music and little fuss or conversation, they knew just how to work the crowd that they were designed for. Thus I was glad I was a little way back from the mosh, although that didn't stop a few overexcited teens flinging their bodies in all directions, including at myself and my group.
Once they had ripped through each short and sweet indie pop song, they had reached the last moment before their encore, but decided to play through the last few songs, in the same 'fuck the method (sorta)' vibe that had carried the night through. It was all good fun, and suited the crowd fine. The set felt as short and sweet as their songs from 'King of the Beach', which is really what I was in for, and quite satisfying.
SOME SLEEP AND WORK LATER...
A few tiring days later, and yet I was still energetic to see Best Coast on the Thursday. I'd heard negative feebdack from Best Coasts's prior shoes beforehand, particularly supporting the epic classics Os Mutantes (sadly cancelling their Brisbane gig- but thankyou more proactive friend for bringing me back a memento!). This is understandable to me, like experiencing a slice of homebrand cheddar before anticipating a triple cheese brie and haloumi platter. Not that Best Coast is not palatable (all cheese is good cheese imo!), but it's quite clear that BC are not here to change the world of music.. they're about fun, breezy pop, and they don't try to be anything else.
I didn't catch much of Feathers, the support act, but managed to get a great side stage position
amidst the packed Woodlands venue. I don't know if I have said this before but it is always handy having gig buddies that are much shorter than you, if you can (I'm surprised I have any).
Anyway, after a long ado (Woodlands, please make your shows start earlier kthx), on came the bodacious Bethany Cosentino, flanked by Bobb Bruno on bass and drummer Ali Koehler. The band were warmly welcomed by a receptive audience, and launched into their set of basically every track from "Crazy For You", plus a few extra new ones thrown in. The small venue was pretty perfect for this kind of show, as their simple twanging sound filled the space well. Bethany's voice was only slightly distorted since my last show there, and was strong. She chatted a little bit in between songs, the others silent and stoic as she held fort, mentioning that we were a much more fun audience than their last show. Fun ensures fun, and Bethany seemed to be having a good time up there, feeding off the audience's excitement and energy. Which must have meant Bobb and Ali had to even up the score by saying nothing and smiling little, but doing their musical jobs well.
As their set progressed, I could see how a non-fan would have a pretty average time here; there really is little variety in their style, and a lot of songs could be seen as indiscernible from each other. Were the songs any longer, it would have begun to bore me, but luckily not so, and the track order meant that all their best work wasn't clumped together. The crowd went mental for 'Boyfriend', 'When I'm With You', and 'When the Sun Don't Shine', and were all falling in lust with Bethany by the end of the set (unless that was just me?). It was late and tired by the last song, but the sugary energy pop of the set was buzz inducing, and I stumbled from Woodlands a pretty happy camper.
Waaves get 7 surfboards out of 10. Best Coast get 7.5 green sparkly hemp glasses out of 10. I get 100 tardies.
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