Bertie Blackman

Having spoken to some musicians on the subject, they have all concluded the same: Melbournians are ungrateful tossers. Well, not in so many words, but the kicking music scene is so alive and buzzing that we take it for granted. There’s a new band to listen to at a new bar every week, we can’t keep up. Bands apparently love playing places like Adelaide (I know, I spurt beer out my nose when I heard it) because they are, how you say, less privileged than we in the rock and roll facet. They show up promptly at the door time to rock out to all the support bands, even the very first one that ends up playing to all of ten people.

My point being,Armen Firman had a toughie opening the festivities tonight: first band up, people are only on their first or second drink, scattered about the room making their sparseness all the more known. The venue doesn’t really fill up until halfway through the second act. Regardless, they give their best attempt at hyping up the inextricable gaggle. Their sound was clean, clear and toe-tapping, and although it wasn’t my thing, will surely be a hit with the larger crowds. Songs like 'Porch Dweller' are instantly likeable, their instruments melding together in a beautiful wave.

The Follow were up next, much to mixed reactions. My own being a slight bias towards singer Azaria for his Popstars effort some years ago, it niggles at me the entire night and I can’t help question his rock and roll virtue. The audience was clearly cut in twain: the front rows were muddled with a powerfully teenage assemblage, the people who are keeping Emily the Strange merchandise in such proficient business, while the rest (read: anyone over 25?) stood either indifferent or patiently studious. Their psychedelic sound is messy and chaotic, but they don’t seem to care, and neither to the crowd. It appears to be all part of their charm. Azaria sings like “an orgasm all over” remarks one punter and though his on-stage demeanor is demented, his wild flailing and twitching certainly got the crowd intrigued. Their sound is a mish-mash of various influence, borrowing more than a cup of sugar from the 90’s grunge/punk wave, mixing in the current indie trend for good measure, and a whole heap of Neon Ballroom era Silverchair (especially the guitar breakdown in ‘Revolution’). Current single 'Hope You're Happy Now' goes down a treat, it’s poppy, radio-friendly hook making for an easy sing-along and guaranteed to be stuck in your head for days.'Woops-a-Daisy' inspires images of twisted nursery rhymes (a worn out market, granted) and gothic Alice in Wonderland paintings and although the song is tremendously catchy, and energetic, the novelty is lost on me. Their particular breed of Diet Punk became stagnant over the course of the set, though they leave before any welcome is overstayed and leave the crowd fizzing and buzzing and wanting more, as any band should.

Bertie Blackman finally emerges, looking like a tiny Egyptian goddess. Although diminutive, she is nonetheless a powerhouse unto herself. 'Dracula' is chick-rock brilliance, I am shocked when she finally speaks and reveals a small, sweet voice (when minutes earlier she had been howling into the microphone like a blonde wolf). She swigs from a hip flask and tells us deviously about her scotch- induced madness on occasion. Bertie, herself, is a quant mixture of the sweet quirkiness of Kate Miller- Heidke and the rock and roll fury of Joan Jett. The band together are a swift punch of punk-rock revelry, confirmed in (personal favourite) 'Fast Bitch' and 'GORE'.

Just when I had noticed the odd stillness of the NSC tonight, Bertie beat me to it and noted the lack of rowdiness of the crowd. Is this just Northcote, or was it the crowd that particular night? I couldn’t understand why people weren’t going nuts but then again I don’t really understand people.

Once again, I have as much trouble ending review wittily as I do starting them, so I’ll leave you with a word of advice; to get into Bertie Blackman as soon as possible, before the whole chick- rock thing becomes too trendy and you won’t be able to fit through the doors for all the hipsters.

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