Ball Park Music (with City Riots), Alhambra Lounge, 23rd July, 2011

*DISCLAIMER: Photo-less blog right here. You people do not deserve shitty blurry iphone pictures when I forget my camera at gigs. And for an amateur gig blogger, I should know better than to forget my camera at gigs*

*FOREWORD* Maybe I'm old and getting cranky, but for fucks sake, jumping around in a large circle with your missus so that your bodyparts continue to hit me and everyone else around you, is going to make me hate you so much that the hate will penetrate your skull and cause you neural damage. Just FYI, have a nice day.

Ball Park Music are a Brisbane band making it pretty big in the local and national scene, particularly amongst Triple J's audience (not that I listen to any other station besides it and 4zzz). It's hard to avoid their biggest songs at the moment "Rich People Are Stupid" and "Sad Rude Future Dude", both on high rotation, and both with a catch bordering on TOO infectious.

I checked them out at the Alhambra Lounge a week ago, a place I've never ventured to for live music, but really only dancing (being one of the few non-'r&b' or trance clubs). I was interested to see how the night would play out in this venue. The stage was set up parallel to the usual DJ stage, and I must admit I found it difficult to see anything, and the passage from the door to the toilets became a problem as it was in a prime viewing area. Nonetheless I managed to enjoy the gig, despite the crowd wanker that exists at every concert (see foreword). I got in just in time for most of the Adelaide band City Riots' set (having sadly missed Millions), which was fairly catchy and enjoyably rocky. I will have to listen again to see if any of it really sticks, but myself and the rest of the crowd were pleasantly amused to be treated to a cover of Springsteen's "Dancing in the Dark", as their last song. Apparently someone from Drawn From Bees joined them to play it, so hooray for Brisbane indie crossovers.

Ball Park arrived with a full crowd eager to hear their set. Frontman Sam was quite the enigmatic leader, introducing each song with biting wit. The rest of the band members shared his enthusiasm which made for an xplosive, tight set, energetic and engaging. It's refreshing to see, amongst the 'please take us seriously' indie bands out there, a band that really just wants to let loose and have a bit of fun; are not here to change our perspectives or make us think too hard, but here to entertain, make us dance, and also throw a few sympathetic situations out there we can all relate to easily. In this way, in their lyrics and melodies, they have a slight Custard feel about them. Perhaps Sam Cromack is the new Dave McCormack? Whoah now Steph, lets calm it down a little.

But really, what a local band needs to get places is something to get people to take notice, and Ball Park Music definitely have that with their frontman. The guy even smoked his own moustache in their last video. Sam's vocals are strong and effortless, and not affected a bit while tossing himself into the crowd for a surf on multiple occasions. Gig buddy and I were stunned with his ability to carry a tune and lyric without a hitch despite being snatched and passed between drunken gig venturers.

I have to admit I much more enjoyed the other songs away from their two big hits at the moment; mostly due to overexposure. They had some great quieter moments too, showing that they do have range and it doesn't all have to be in your face grunge pop. And just to mix it up, the band impressed me with their fun cover of "Peaches" by the Presidents of the USA, getting the crowd singing along with laughter. As they closed with "Sad Rude Future Dude", it was extremely hard not to bop and sing along to it, which goes to show, even if you've had enough of something, it can still be enjoyable.

It's probably still early days for Ball Park Music's unleashing onto the world, and it's clear that they have a long career ahead of them, especially if their live show is anything to go by. Their music is nothing new, spectacular or creatively out there, but it's good stuff, and a whole lot of fun, and we need more fun in our lives if you ask me.

7 and a half hair cigarettes out of 10.

Mr Maps, Hazards of Swimming Naked, and Screens, The Zoo, 9th July 2011

Hazards of Swimming Naked

I've spent the last few weeks in a complete Roxy Music/ Brian Eno haze, for two reasons: One, I bought the first two Roxy Music albums (yes, a little late considering I have a review of their concert on this very site), and Two: Just after discovering both of these to be MOTHERFUCKING MASTERPIECES, I finally watched Velvet Goldmine, a film that to me is a sort of parody tribute to Bowie, glam rock, and all that whole time of sexual liberation and glitter. About half the songs in it are Roxy Music or Eno or something else Eno produced (but NO BOWIE- as he refused to put his music to the film, which I think was secretly a blessing). Hence it was a perfectly timed viewing, and a great backdrop to becoming completely obsessed with these songs. I so love feeling completely immersed in something that has been around so ong that there is even more to explore, and I'm very happy to graduate from 'casual fan' to having my life much enriched by Roxy Music music.

Before all this however, I went to the Zoo on a Saturday night to check out a few local bands on a friends' recommendation, Mr Maps, and Hazards of Swimming Naked. I was not familiar with either band nor the whole post-rock genre, so I was keen to hear something a bit out of my usual comfort zone (that wasn't an R&B club) but also a little nervous as to whether I would enjoy it.

Turns out I needn't have worried. Screens opened the Zoo, flanked by synth, guitar, drums, and a few vocalists. The female vocalist of the group had an amazingly haunting voice and style, which complemented the eerie, haunted, almost numetal songs. Her moans hovered over the top of rolling drums and screeching guitars as if a ghost coasting through a warzone. No really. The whole effect was pretty interesting, and while a lot of the songs sounded similar to me without a standout song, I really enjoyed them, particularly during soft build ups to very satisfying hard-ish rock crescendos.

Next was Mr Maps, which involved a cellist, guitar, piano and drums. I compared them a little to Mogwai, the closest I've come to anything so drawn out, instrumental and epic. But really that comparison is unfair, as they were so much more than a band that sounds a bit like another band. Their individual bits and pieces combined to create a mood in each song that surprisingly drew me in, and while it was a style of music I don't normally seek out, I wasn't bored with it and very much entertained. As a whole, the set was very tight, and lovely from start to finish. My only criticism would be a technical one, which is that you could barely hear the cello, which remained just a faint accompaniment in the background.

The music was so interesting without vocals, i wondered what it would be like with some lyric attached. Although I figured it would probably ruin the effect, and take the focus away from the intricate arrangement.

Hazards of Swimming Naked was the last to play, and it appeared that everyone in the audience knew someone in the band. They were also quite excellent; while more drawn out and harder than Mr Maps, they shared that same vibe. I guess that's post rock! I felt similar about Hazards of Swimming Naked as I did with Mr Maps, which also worked together to create amazing sounds and a penetrating dark vibe. I have to admit however that I wasn't quite as drawn in and entertained... I think this was partly as the music was a bit more hard-rock and teetered dangerously on my threshold for that kind of music. Nevertheless I could still appreciate it for what it was and I can definitely see, if that's what floats ones' boat, why it floats. I was pleasantly happy with my enjoyment of all 3 bands, and while I haven't fallen completely in love with post rock, I have become more interested in it as a genre and would see them again (particularly Mr Maps).

I have listened to a bit more Mr Maps since the gig, and I get the feeling that to really appreciate them, you need the live experience. While it's quite intricate music, it easily falls into the background if there is nothing to visually attend to you. This is the way I can sometimes feel about musical acts such as M83 or Panda Bear. I shall keep listening however, because it is very pleasant, and a lot of music I initially dismissed as simply ambient, did begin to stand out to me and engross me later on.

Screens, Mr Maps and Hazards get 7 out of 10 distortion pedals.

Next: all the other reviews I have procrastinated on posting. Stay tuned!