It comes as no surprise that Cloud Control drew a packed-out crowd to The Forum – with Gang of Youths and Palms in tow, this gig was hot Australian music property. Satisfying the neverending appetite of this country’s indie rock lovers, Cloud Control have taken their time returning to our hearts (and the stage).
Nonetheless, the re-entry has been as applauded as it has been anticipated. Their new release Dream Cave (only the second, would you believe), has won praise as triple j’s Album of the Week and sparked a seemingly endless run of tour dates that stretch from Melbourne to Madrid.
Tough though it can be to find a label, to call Cloud Control an indie rock band is a bit of a cop-out. Their opening, Scream Rave, channeled their more psychedelic side as frontman Alister Wright almost moped onto the stage in a jacket he stole from an Eskimo, offset by deeply vibrant colours creeping along the back wall. Then it was jacket off and back to business, with Dojo Rising, which was the first taste of Dream Cave. A familiar start for those who own the new album.
Happy Birthday, which co-vocalist/keyboardist Heidi Lenffer dedicated to “a cute guy I met in London”, turned the band down a distinctly be-bop ‘60s street, yet another string to their bow. In Just For Now, Lenffer gave a sexy vocal in her tight black catsuit, the sea of swaying bodies in the crowd nodding their heads in approval.
The cover of Kid Cudi’s Pursuit of Happiness was probably not the highlight of the evening – when they’re so good at writing songs for themselves, they should really stick to that – however Gold Canary and set closer Nothing in the Water We Can’t Fight certainly pepped the crowd up. Up and up they went as Wright sang, “Mother ganga, take me higher”.
Dream Cave and Buffalo Country rounded out the encore, a healthy mix of new and old, and reflective of where this band is at right now. A solid performance from a band that is not giving away all its secrets just yet.
BY JEN WILSON
LOVED: Old or new – all great songs!
HATED: The cover
DRANK: Red wine
