I ran through the light rain to reach the Metro, nice and early to set myself up in a good spot for the night, and lucky I did too. I am a fan of a good view (which the Metro definitely caters for) but amazingly for a band that has been off the radar of mainstream their whole lives, the theatre was crammed full by the time Midlake hit the stage. Eagerly awaiting the arrival of the folk/ hippy/ country rockers, the crowed was lulled with the sweet sounds of Big Scary to launch the night. Neither big nor scary, the duo from Melbourne left the crowd with haunting acoustic versions of their heavier pieces, masterfully demonstrating their finesse with multiple instruments, in particular the piano, finishing with two tracks receiving air time on the Js; Autumn and Falling. I absolutely love their stuff.
This was a fitting introduction for the band of the evening, a hush descending over the crowd before Midlake’s arrival. Easing into the night, with the obvious reverence of the crowd, Midlake traversed tracks from all three albums. The band proficiently defines beautiful and classic rock, reminiscent of The Eagles and a mellow and folky Jethro Tull. Midlake develop that sort of sound into something more organic and more poignant, adding a couple of flutes will do this! Yet you would think that for a band of seven, with 5 guitars (wow) some flutes, a keyboard, drums and a tambourine there would be this cacophony of folky sound, an assault on your eardrums. It is definitely not the case here; the band is focused with apparently sporadic instrumentals moving with a strong direction in a coherent yet adventurous way. The bearded and relaxed crew are true to their hometown of Denton in Texas, eager for some good ole country rock. The tracks are humbly sung and the general feeling is being swamped in 1890’s folk traditions, with lyrics inspiring imagery of distant times. Audacious guitar solos get appreciation from both the greying hipsters and the younger revellers. In fact the crowd can only be described as a weird sort of blend between the youngin’s delving into niche subgenres and the oldies that have grown up loving the sound of solid and vociferous rock.
Crowd favourites like Roscoe, Van Occupanther and Young Bride displayed the complete ease at which beautiful harmonies and quiet musings ooze from the group, and how likable their music is. What was clear was the absolute joy that the band had while playing. Members seemed genuinely interested in the others on stage, and would share coy smiles and nods between one another. The throng of people were especially admiring, hushed for the quiet intros; nothing but the keys or the flutes floating about the room and nestling deep within the crowd. Sharing some stage banter and joking with members of the audience, singer Mackenzie Smith confessed their concern that no one would come to see them. He also joked that they may have put on a few pounds since we had last seen them, (we don’t mind! It adds to the brilliant illusion that you have been holed up inside a dwelling somewhere south, making music and growing you beards!).
Finishing with their encore of Bandits and Branch the band really hit home an amazing show. Such humble and genuine guys, Midlake really struck a chord with the Sydney audience, pulling off a beautiful performance. Thank you, wholeheartedly, Midlake, you will be missed!
xx
No comments:
Post a Comment