Five dudes with roots firmly placed in their own blown-out, distorted demented dance party brand of soulful RnB. Formed in the end of November 2010 and originally from the coastal town of Ocean Grove the group has since gone on to play music festivals such as Meredith, Queenscliff, Boogie and Falls. As well as supporting acts such as Gary Clarke Junior, Mac Demarco, Ty Segall, Thee Oh Sees, The Pixies, Earthless, Stephen Malkmus and The Jicks, Wavves and King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard.
Playing for just over an hour, some old stuff (hard to imagine their youthful appearance) made an appearance and much of it was their killer new album, Old Locomotive. Blue overalls and black boots or canvas shoes. Little bit garbo, little bit country hick. They help to portray the full effect of Ambros’s contorting body and classic hands on hips stance.
An hour long blend of hard driven wail of blues harmonica, raw garage-rock-dance, like you’re possessed with some slower hypnotics to catch your breath and swig from your bottled beer. The music from Old Locomotive stands against rock’n’roll extinction. From start to finish each song approaches the face of abandonment and the continuous search for a better alternative.
With catchy Beatles-esque riffs, strokes, vocals, garage, blues riff, reverbs, beach-like sounds, psychedelic rock and blues, these guys have struck a chord in not only the Australian music scene, but the US and European as well.
Where: The Wool Exchange Geelong
When: Friday August 18
Reviewed and photographed by Heidi Atkins