The Triple Rainbow Tour

Northcote played host to the final leg of the acclaimed Triple Rainbow Tour, the venue selling out amidst great anticipation for the event. Having delighted much of the east coast throughout March, three of the biggest and brightest upcoming bands the nation has to offer filed into the Victorian venue, the sights and sounds of the future of Australian music ready to excite once more.

We Say Bamboulee, an electronic pop trio from New South Wales, helped kick proceedings off in style. It was their first appearance in Melbourne and they wasted no time in making an emphatic impression. Driven by a slick, synthesised aesthetic, they indulged in a showcase of trippy euphoria that twinkled and glistened the performance long. Switching back and forth from booming to chirpy electronica, the band illustrated a big, vibrant dynamic, boasting a collection of blissfully sunny melodies. Front man Dough Wright quickly became an unlikely stage hero, his silky smooth delivery proving to be a surprising delight.

Pleasingly, We Say Bamboulee professed a multi-dimensional approach. Though their sound immediately lends itself to a primed, pop stratagem, they’re not averse to straying and substituting simpler elements for enthralling, interstellar tangents. Their best quality is that they sound bigger and better than both a trio and their configuration, stations of microkorgs and various keyed instruments pioneering their style. In both a powerful and immediate performance, We Say Bamboulee were on song and can mark their Melbourne debut down as a total success.

Next up were the eccentric Brisvegas sextet Ball Park Music, their pop sensibilities concealing an element of eclectic chaos. This is one band you won’t catch standing still, a creative restlessness combining with their sublime surf-coast harmonies and kooky lyrical wit for one entertaining extravaganza. Watching the sprightly Sam Cromack strut his stuff as their front man is enough suggest one obvious truth: Ball Park Music will rarely be matched for fun in their output, the talented ensemble rocking out with raw enthusiasm, sounding beautifully accomplished simultaneously. With the emergence of brass in the mix, the night really ascended to an all time high.

There were a few highlights in their set, notably the 90s-inspired pop rock of Rich People Are Stupid, as well as a thunderously popular cover of The Kinks’ All Day And All Of The Night. Of course, the peppy Sad Rude Future Dude would emerge a crowd favourite and iFly’s profaning perfection would help bring their performance to a sensational close. Naturally calls for an encore ensued. Alas, it was not on the cards.

Disappointingly, a fraction of the room had vacated between Ball Park Music and the headline act, Melbourne’s own Eagle And The Worm. Those who remained were well and truly in for a treat however, as the local collective appeared intent on playing an intriguing, inspired blend of pop and roots music. Opener Futureman entranced the venue with its hazy, tropical tact, the expansive ensemble demonstrating an impressive cohesion. The sleepy mood was perpetuated with the inclusion of Too Young, a hypnotic Hawaiian trance, its dreamy expedition earning the band deserved appreciation.

Of course, it would not take long for the band to fire up, a big brass section assisting in creating a zealous, chipper sound marked by its stunning intricacies. As a group, they’re booming musical powerhouse, a crisp, clear and undeniable experience with a certain epic quality. It really is a joy to witness it all come together - and seemingly, patrons agreed, some perched upon the shoulders of friends and family.

As an illustration of Australia’s next crop of artists, the final show of Triple Rainbow Tour was a huge success. In exiting the Northcote Social Club on this particular night, it was difficult not to feel a pinch of excitement concerning the futures of all three bands.

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