Birds of Tokyo, Regular John, Gung Ho @ The Tivoli, Brisbane (22/03/2013)
Even though it was my fifth time seeing Birds of Tokyo live, I was very excited to see them on Friday night.
The main reason was that since I last saw them at the end of their 2012 tour, a lot of things have changed in this band. The first, and most major change, is they now have a number one album and number one song on the Aria Charts, seemingly destined for much more mainstream success. The second is that their new album, March Fires, shows a distinctly softer side to the band than their three previous albums. It was certainly going to be an intriguing night to see if, and how, these changes have affected the band in terms of their live show.
I was pleasantly surprised when I walked into the venue to learn that Brisbane locals, Gung Ho, were the first band of the night. I had been meaning to catch these guys at a show sooner rather than later and they lived up to my expectations. Their dynamics and vocals in particular, were much sharper and more commanding in the live arena compared to on record. The use of twin vocalists Oliver Duncan and Michael McAlary worked extremely well and gave a sense of vibrancy to songs like Strangers and Twin Rays which made for an enjoyable start to the evening.
Regular John is a band I can’t quite put my finger on. There are elements of psychedelica, elements of heavy rock and elements that are close to something resembling pop. They put on a stimulating and thought-provoking listen, but one that I thoroughly enjoyed. The majority of tracks came from 2012’s Strange Flowers, and they were just as tight and rocking as on record, definitely a band I will make an effort to see again.
From the outset I will admit, I listened to March Fires twice before the gig and pretty much thought 80% of the tracks were fairly throw-away material compared to their earlier material. However, as soon as Birds of Tokyo came on stage and opened with Liquid Arms I was transfixed. Partly by the unanticipated amazing new light show, but mostly by how different this band had become in the live arena compared to previous shows. It was polished, profound, and sounded and looked fantastic. Sure, front man Ian Kenny’s puppet like dance moves still received a full showing, and guitarist Adam Spark played with the same intensity and skill I was used to, but this whole experience was completely different to the usual Birds live show.
New songs, in particular White Leaves and hit single This Fire had a different and more energetic spark live and reworked versions of fan favourites Broken Bones and The Gap sounded the best I have ever heard them. The visuals on the dozen video screen scattered around the stage and backdrop added a great vibe and only served to enhance the music. Massive crowd sing-alongs were saved for the closing duo of Wild at Heart and the number one song in the country, Lanterns, which everyone went positively crazy for.
It’s clear that Birds have decided to go in a completely new direction, and whilst I was initially apprehensive, this show proved that they are still one of the best rock bands in this country. They only seem to be going from strength to strength and are certain to reach new heights in the very near future.
Sebastian Betten
The main reason was that since I last saw them at the end of their 2012 tour, a lot of things have changed in this band. The first, and most major change, is they now have a number one album and number one song on the Aria Charts, seemingly destined for much more mainstream success. The second is that their new album, March Fires, shows a distinctly softer side to the band than their three previous albums. It was certainly going to be an intriguing night to see if, and how, these changes have affected the band in terms of their live show.
I was pleasantly surprised when I walked into the venue to learn that Brisbane locals, Gung Ho, were the first band of the night. I had been meaning to catch these guys at a show sooner rather than later and they lived up to my expectations. Their dynamics and vocals in particular, were much sharper and more commanding in the live arena compared to on record. The use of twin vocalists Oliver Duncan and Michael McAlary worked extremely well and gave a sense of vibrancy to songs like Strangers and Twin Rays which made for an enjoyable start to the evening.
Regular John is a band I can’t quite put my finger on. There are elements of psychedelica, elements of heavy rock and elements that are close to something resembling pop. They put on a stimulating and thought-provoking listen, but one that I thoroughly enjoyed. The majority of tracks came from 2012’s Strange Flowers, and they were just as tight and rocking as on record, definitely a band I will make an effort to see again.
From the outset I will admit, I listened to March Fires twice before the gig and pretty much thought 80% of the tracks were fairly throw-away material compared to their earlier material. However, as soon as Birds of Tokyo came on stage and opened with Liquid Arms I was transfixed. Partly by the unanticipated amazing new light show, but mostly by how different this band had become in the live arena compared to previous shows. It was polished, profound, and sounded and looked fantastic. Sure, front man Ian Kenny’s puppet like dance moves still received a full showing, and guitarist Adam Spark played with the same intensity and skill I was used to, but this whole experience was completely different to the usual Birds live show.
New songs, in particular White Leaves and hit single This Fire had a different and more energetic spark live and reworked versions of fan favourites Broken Bones and The Gap sounded the best I have ever heard them. The visuals on the dozen video screen scattered around the stage and backdrop added a great vibe and only served to enhance the music. Massive crowd sing-alongs were saved for the closing duo of Wild at Heart and the number one song in the country, Lanterns, which everyone went positively crazy for.
It’s clear that Birds have decided to go in a completely new direction, and whilst I was initially apprehensive, this show proved that they are still one of the best rock bands in this country. They only seem to be going from strength to strength and are certain to reach new heights in the very near future.
Sebastian Betten