The Holidays

Does anyone else find that, on some occasions, you end up enjoying the support bands far more than the headliners? Tonight, at the cushy yet dank Espy Basement, the bands only seemed to depreciate in quality as the night went on. Allow me to elucidate.

Fire Fire! take to the diminutive stage first. I will say this for anyone who was at the show that night; the sound was gawd-awful. I wanted to stand up during the set and warn the punters who had taken a chance on a local band that Fire Fire! were better than the acoustics in the Basement would have you believe. Singer Marc’s vox were resolute despite this (except his “oh, oh, ohs” in wicked track Invincible which continue to bother me in my anal and overtly critical nature) and we all gave love. Guitarist Lee- despite the flannelette shirt, which my V Festival experience has taught me is a product bore of pure sin- produces a sharp, tight indie guitar sound and, though I sometimes feel he may need to extend his repertoire somewhat to avoid the Indie-Rock-Paint-By-Numbers tag, remains a consummate professional in his craft. Newest track The Big Speech shows an encouraging move for the band (especially a particular drum vs. bass breakdown somewhere in the middle: tasty)...here’s hoping it gets recorded...

The Sure Fire Midnights certainly looked the part; driving Rock spelled R-A-W-K, leopard print, leather, fast guitars and powerful vocals, one would think: what more do you need, really? Though only slightly generic, but entirely inoffensive, even quite fun, to the ear (and taste), TSFM needn’t take this discouragingly. Their obvious influences would include any band that a) snorted their height in cocaine, b) did a very bad thing to a groupie with a telephone and/or c) licked Ozzy Osbourne’s urine off the ground (Okay, so they’re all Motley Crue, sue me) but perhaps diversifying their tunes somewhat would make for a grander scale of Rock-ocity, rather than hurt it, ya reckon?

The Priory Dolls (nee Peyote) are, I suppose a musical leapfrog. Hopping from Classic Rock to Indie to Dylan Goes Electric like nobody’s business. Once again, I watch with my eyes, and hear with my ears, but that’s it; nothing happens. My hands don’t go numb, I don’t feel like dancing or jumping or screaming or crying. And uneventful music is, to me, only very slightly better than bad music itself. But, to their credit, for such young lads, they are incredibly tight, and well-versed in song-craft (pardon the pun). They will do well, with a little more gigging and some well-placed promo, and Love Me Honey could very be blasting from Triple J’s aerials this time next year. And good luck to them.

So. Sydney band The Holidays are the headliners tonight. Once again, I get this funny feeling of uncaring; as if I cannot understand what makes this band, this derivative but sufficient Indie Pop band, more worthy of headliner status than any of the local acts currently slogging out opening-slot-status across our great land. Look, they’re fine; clean guitar work, easily sing-along-able lyrics and plenty of energy to get the kids up and a-dancing, but who cares? Vocalist Simon is an incredibly run-of-the-mill singer, and the band as a whole are creating music done a thousand times previous. And this doesn’t bother anyone? Ah, c’est la vie...

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