Gerling

It was going to be an interesting night judging by their press releases, Gerling’s new album, was a break away from their dance stuff and back to their rock/punk roots.

They were supported by Dappled Cities Fly, another Sydney band, a five piece. They had a big fluffy stuffed lion dancing with the five people up front, I couldn’t work out if they were friends with the band or hardcore fans, but they knew all the words and dance moves.

DCF had a great Britpop sound, but tonight Ballarat was cold and unwelcoming, and just stood at the back of the room cold and aloof.

Possibly the shortest band in rock, (what is it about short men and rock music), Gerling, jumped on stage, like munchkins on acid.

This was the band the crowd had come to see, the room had filled up, but they weren’t really getting into it. Gerling had to work really hard to get the crowd pumped up, I had been told that they were a great band to drop E to, and this crowd seemed to be expecting that sort of music. One punter was definantly off his head what with all his gurniing and his bottle of water. They weren’t your average band punters; I expect they had just heard Gerling on the radio.

But, they managed to get the crowd going, with their Mexico song ‘Deep Fryer’ (OLE!), where Presser Towner danced out amongst the crowd pulling strange faces, and leaping about like a monkey. This band is very strange and I fear a little too strange for the Ballarat crowd, who were very subdued. I though they were asleep most of the time.

It was a sad reflection of the night and not on Gerling, that at the end of their set, they only did one encore and who could blame them the crowd really wasn’t inspiring; a couple of dead wet fish would have had more life. The roadie, supposedly Darren Cross brother, I dont know - was that a joke, they sure looked similar, gave a girl there, with her Gerling t-shirt wearing boyfriend; the set list, and she looked at it in disgust.

I loved the song Blood on the Microphone, where Darren went all Johnny Rotten on us. The drummer Burke Reid looked so sick, personally from the crowd’s reaction they might as well of cancelled.

Great band, stupid boring crowd, maybe a better warm up band than Dappled Cities Cry, gosh they were tame, but then they did make Gerling look very very good.

Loved their new rockier stuff, they made a new fan out of me that night, but the Karova crowd sucked.

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