City and Colour, Husky, Twin Forks @ The Sidney Myer Music Bowl, Melbourne (14/12/2013)
You would have a confusing time picking just who was playing the Myer Music Bowl on Saturday, as a mixture of everyone seemed to pour in. From 8 to 80 year olds, the place was packed in preparation for City and Colour, the now full-time affair of ex-Alexisonfire vocalist Dallas Green, a fact that is announced through many attendees t-shirts.
But to start off with, we have Twin Forks, which also features another familiar face in Chris Carrabba of Dashboard Confessional fame. The folky four piece play side by side, letting lose tracks from their debut ep and reinventing several Dashboard songs to a whole band experience.
Despite the massive stage, the show still feels as intimate as a club show, with mandolinist/vocalist Suzie conversing with the crowd after every song played. After the set, Carrabba jumped over the barrier to meet the crowd converging at the stall barrier. When asked why, he simply responded: "I just love everyone here."
As the audience on the lawn began to take their positions strapped to the barrier, the second act, Husky, began their haunting set. The band seemed to be carried by an ethereal presence on stage, floating to the dissonance they produce onstage. The next 45 minutes are filled with an eerie piano and the deep slurring voice of vocalist Husky Gawenda sauntering through the air. They finish to sparse applause sadly, though to those paying attention their music lingers on for the rest of the night.
The stage falls into darkness to an eruption of cheering fans and City and Colour take their places on the stage. The cheering still hasn't ceased as they launch into Of Space and Time, the nights first introduction to their newest album. Green's twinkling acoustic melody pushes back the night, warmly inviting the electric backdrop provided by the rest of the band. A relaxed air shrouded the five piece, with the movement on stage consisting solely of the nodding of heads to the music. In most cases this would be a letdown, but with a group like City and Colour, it just seems natural.
The band stepped offstage for Green's solo section after Weightless, and instantly the feel of the performance became much more personal. Stripped back, Green became much more conscious of his crowd, conversing and joking. Even alone he held tight to audience attention, performing an extended outro to fan-favourite Comin' Home acapella. Though, with a voice as immense as his was during the show, this was an easy task to achieve.
Casually, the rest of the band takes to the stage again for Little Hell as if it were nothing but a quick jam with friends. Inviting the crowd to the front barrier, Green manages to spark the entire Bowl with a sing-a-long during The Girl, a noise only rivalled in intensity by Green himself. As the band closed, the only disappointment on the fans faces was the wish that the set had gone on just one or two songs longer.
As we leave, I can’t help but notice the breadth of everyone attending again. There’s an elderly couple leaving hand in hand. There’s a mother carrying her child to the car as he rests. Teens, adults, clad in singlets or Mohicans wander out together. All with a smile on their faces.
Ben Spencer
But to start off with, we have Twin Forks, which also features another familiar face in Chris Carrabba of Dashboard Confessional fame. The folky four piece play side by side, letting lose tracks from their debut ep and reinventing several Dashboard songs to a whole band experience.
Despite the massive stage, the show still feels as intimate as a club show, with mandolinist/vocalist Suzie conversing with the crowd after every song played. After the set, Carrabba jumped over the barrier to meet the crowd converging at the stall barrier. When asked why, he simply responded: "I just love everyone here."
As the audience on the lawn began to take their positions strapped to the barrier, the second act, Husky, began their haunting set. The band seemed to be carried by an ethereal presence on stage, floating to the dissonance they produce onstage. The next 45 minutes are filled with an eerie piano and the deep slurring voice of vocalist Husky Gawenda sauntering through the air. They finish to sparse applause sadly, though to those paying attention their music lingers on for the rest of the night.
The stage falls into darkness to an eruption of cheering fans and City and Colour take their places on the stage. The cheering still hasn't ceased as they launch into Of Space and Time, the nights first introduction to their newest album. Green's twinkling acoustic melody pushes back the night, warmly inviting the electric backdrop provided by the rest of the band. A relaxed air shrouded the five piece, with the movement on stage consisting solely of the nodding of heads to the music. In most cases this would be a letdown, but with a group like City and Colour, it just seems natural.
The band stepped offstage for Green's solo section after Weightless, and instantly the feel of the performance became much more personal. Stripped back, Green became much more conscious of his crowd, conversing and joking. Even alone he held tight to audience attention, performing an extended outro to fan-favourite Comin' Home acapella. Though, with a voice as immense as his was during the show, this was an easy task to achieve.
Casually, the rest of the band takes to the stage again for Little Hell as if it were nothing but a quick jam with friends. Inviting the crowd to the front barrier, Green manages to spark the entire Bowl with a sing-a-long during The Girl, a noise only rivalled in intensity by Green himself. As the band closed, the only disappointment on the fans faces was the wish that the set had gone on just one or two songs longer.
As we leave, I can’t help but notice the breadth of everyone attending again. There’s an elderly couple leaving hand in hand. There’s a mother carrying her child to the car as he rests. Teens, adults, clad in singlets or Mohicans wander out together. All with a smile on their faces.
Ben Spencer