Having recently released their third album (and a double album to boot) ‘Junk’ to wide critical acclaim, Brisbane’s own Gin Club rolled back into town to wrap up the album launching 15 date tour that had started in Hobart some 22 days earlier
The queue outside The Globe went around the block so At Sea had already by the time we got in. It’s safe to say that the Walker sisters (At Sea singer Lauren and Butcher Birds’/Young Doctors‘ Jacinta) have got the Cute Gene. As to which is the cuter, it’s hard to say…
Possibly less cute, but astonishingly spell-binding was Gareth Liddiard’s solo set. A mix of old Drones songs and new/possibly Drones songs-to-be played on an acoustic guitar to an audience dumbstruck in awe. Really powerful stuff that needed the lighter, jokier between song banter to prevent the evening descending into a well of doom and despair.
His Drones’ bandmate Mike Noga, with band The Gentlemen of Good Fortune, was next up with a solid, if unspectacular set of county-tinged rock drinking songs.
And so to The Gin Club.
Having seen The Gin Club plenty of times over the last couple years, the changing around of instruments after songs can take the momentum away from the performance and sometimes the setlist order has seemed to have caused a mid-gig lull with slow, quiet, acoustic songs. However, tonight they are a well oiled machine (despite Salty’s lost bottle of tequila…), helped by the changes to the band’s line-up and the introduction of a more permanent drummer for most songs and no doubt helped by being the last date of the tour. In addition, the new album seems more up tempo than the last album which gives an overall improvement in the dynamics of the set. All this, combined with a set of new and really, really good songs, meant that it was the best show that I’ve seen them play.
A great night all round, despite the issues with the venue and their curfew meaning that they had to curtail their set a few songs short.
The new album is really fantastic and should bring them the success that they richly deserve. You really should buy a copy and go see them next time they play.
A gazillion more photos on flickr.
Leave a Reply