Bell Weather Department

Arriving alone at the Gaelic Club and having to explain that I did not have a 'plus one' was a little embarrassing, but what began as an awkward solo-mission actually turned out to be a great night at the thriving Surrey Hills venue.

I had seen Bell Weather Department once before, but either I wasn't paying much attention the first time, or the sound at the Gaelic was much better. The mix was superb; the vocals came through with perfect clarity and all instruments had their own space. Notable tracks included "Hole In The Sky", "Where The Wolves Can't Find Me", and one track which I didn't catch the name of, but consisted of a filthy riff played out on the synth and bass. It rocked. These four lads looked like they were having fun on stage, and even indulged in something I like to call IST (Instrument Swap Time). Despite the fact BWD were on at 8:30pm, there was a fair-sized, receptive crowd. Everyone was either bopping their head or tapping their feet along to every song, and by the end a few were even having a little jig at the front. I look forward to checking these guys out again soon.

Papa Vs Pretty came out all guns blazing. This three piece were fantastic, and definitely destroyed any ill-conceived notion I had of what they were all about (something about their name makes me think they are emo or metal, no idea why). I'm surprised they weren't handing out mops and buckets to the punters; the guitarist definitely had prior face-melting practice. I'd heard their single “Heavy Harm” on the radio earlier in the day, and it was epic in a live setting. They really know how to set the atmosphere.

On the other end of their musical spectrum, most of their set mainly consisted of fast-paced, dance-rock-esque floor shakers – something I was definitely into. They didn't really announce the titles for their tracks bar a few, but cross-checking with their MySpace, I recall that “Sgt. Suffer” went down a treat. The lyrics throughout the set were a little indiscernable (probably part of their live sound) but the often-shared vocal melodies by the lead singer and drummer more than made up for this. I would love to see these guys headline, they would really get a lot more people moving.

I first experienced The Holidays on New Years Eve in 2007, at the Purple Sneakers gig in the Manning Bar at Sydney Uni. They have come a long way since then, adding a fifth member to the lineup and taking an entirely new approach to music. According to a friend of the band, they wanted to break the mould and stand out from all the other jangly-guitar'd indie rock outfits that plagued the live music scene. They have definitely done this.

Once the lights were dimmed, the band got people laughing as they strolled onstage like rockstars to Dire Straits' “Money For Nothing” . They didn't waste any time, getting straight into a tropical, tribal and reggae inspired set, which got the packed mosh area dancing throughout their entire performance. Intricate beats were the result of the drummer playing on a bare-essentials kit and the percussionist using a more elaborate setup to spice things up. It was also a treat to see the lead singer put down his guitar and really get into his frontman persona for one of the songs.

There were many highlights in their setlist; all the singles were well received, including "Moonlight Hours" and “Broken Bones”. It was interesting to see how much this band has changed; they were practically playing dance music! However, I found that the mix left a little to be desired. The vocals were regularly lost in the mix, and I could only just make out the choruses for most songs (perhaps this is because I was not well versed in their new material?). Typically, I'm not one to complain about vocals being a bit washy, but it is something that doesn't really work in the light-hearted and clean-cut nature of The Holidays' new sound.

Despite the fact that this was a well-rehearsed, flawless performance, I must say that I relate more to the earlier Holidays material. I definitely love that 'jangly-guitar'd indie rock' sound that they have given up. They didn't play their quasi-eponymous hit “Holiday”, which is one of their best. I guess they have truly taken their new direction seriously. I don't think I am able to give this band any negative criticism, but I cannot say that I enjoyed them more than the two support bands, especially considering I'm not a huge fan of reggae or tropical-flavoured sounds. I'm sure that all those ladies and gents grooving away on the dancefloor would disagree. The fans were certainly out in force and were treated to a tight performance from a well-established band. Nonetheless, after all my disdain for reggae music and The Holidays' new sound, I still bought a Holidays tee-shirt. - www.theaureview.com

The long awaited album launch of The Holidays’ Post Paradise got off to a grand start at The Gaelic with fellow city slickers Bell Weather Department as first supporting act. Performing their brand of very Australian indie-rock, the band proved that despite their relative inexperience as upstarts they will be one to watch in the next year. They seemed to have their own following of Gen Y supporters. For a band so young they seemed to perform an engaging set full of promise and confidence that belies their years. The band seemed to shine most when ditching the keyboards and having bassist William Snell on bass duties.

Up next, and also hailing from Sydney, Papa vs. Pretty proved to be the highlight of the evening for me and many in the audience. Pushing the boundaries of sonics with a three piece, the energy of the band was simply amazing. Watching them break out into their first track after the relative polite innocuous indie sounds of Bell Weather Dept. and seeing the prissy pretty girls baulk at the heavier sound and less visually appealing aesthetic and move away was satisfying in a strange way heralding the arrival of real music and less artifice.

The formidable three piece is capable of keeping the energy levels high and the set varied and interesting. Vocalist and lead guitarist,Thomas Rawl, sure can shred the guitar, while bass player, and young Roger Waters lookalike, Gus Gardiner, and drummer Tom Myers keep it tight. Rawl’s guitar playing takes it to the next level above contemporaries, obvious to the audience that there’s something special in this band live. As the set continued the audience lapped it up becoming more lively. Finishing the set reluctantly with Prince’s Purple Rain, which I have to say wasn’t the best rendition ever, was enough to keep ardent fans happy and the rest bemused. I’m not entirely sure that the Gen Y’er’s in the audience even got the reference being probably only coming out the time they were born, but entertaining all the same.

The Holidays took to the stage for their long-awaited album launch of Post Paradise. Following the raw honesty and unpretentious talent of Papa vs Pretty, The Holidays that didn’t quite translate for me in performance. Despite this, the audience volume swelled in admiration as the new tracks spilled out with effortless cool. There is more than a head nod to eighties synth influences in the newer material, but it was the older bouncy afro-beat material like Moonlight Hours which really pleased the audience and got them going. - www.fasterlouder.com.au