Louis XIV

The room is resplendent with androgynously thin, yet impeccably scuffed men and the odd mini-skirt toting dolly bird, all drinking imported beer and smoking as if it weren’t bad for you. Even if there were no bands playing this evening, it would still worth being here for the sheer grandeur of the human scenery. However, tonight is not about people-watching, for the people here to be watched are here themselves to watch, to leer and to applaud the three acts who are due to take the stage for their listening and visual pleasure.

First cab off the rank are two-piece outfit, The Cheats. It takes a lot of balls or a lot of bravado (or a heady mix of the two) to board a stage (much less open for an international act) with just a guitar and drums. That said, in this post White Stripes / Black Keys era, it is becoming a not uncommon occurrence, and I am pleased to report, a modus operandi that The Cheats pulled off . Their grinding, grunting , stomping band of rock and roll was well received and had people standing up in front of me after just one song.

Next starter, British India, brought forth all the visceral rawk that one would expect from a band that was not only born and raised in Melbourne. Pulling out crowd-pleaser and Triple J favourite, Outside 109 early on was a ballsy move, however, it paid off with the crowd onside from then on in. The difficulty of this task cannot be underrated, considering that the lion share of the crowd where here for an international headliner and with such crowds support acts are often treated quite shabbily by the impatient mob straining to see the band they paid for. With their own brand of sludge-pop British India kept the troops entertained beautifully, which considering the 40+ minute wait before their set and Louis XIV, was just as well.

Sometime after midnight and closer to 1am, Louis XIV boarded the stage with much less eyeliner than the promo pictures I saw would have lead me to expect. They had the good fortune of playing to a packed house sufficiently liquored, lubricated and libidinous to take in their lecherous glory. Admittedly, I came to the show having heard their album for the first time that day, but had a distinct penchant for Triple J high rotator Find True Love Is Blind. Therefore, my summation of their show will not be a song by song dissertation, because quite frankly, not only is that boring, but if you really cared about that stuff, you would have been there.

I can, in all honesty say that I have never underestimated a band more, not only does their music span a broad range of styles ranging from rangy blues to the most sex-laden pop you ever had the pleasure of receiving aurally, but they have their chops down pat. Moreover, they are exquisite and charismatic showmen, who held the audience in their grip from the first chord of the first song, and they did it all not with bells and whistles, but by simply playing.

Not a mean feat really.

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