Do not underestimate the power of a girl with red lipstick and a guitar strapped around her neck, especially if she’s wearing denim cut-offs in the middle of winter.
Haim are exactly that type of band that bring their west coast rock and an LA cool that can’t be taught. It’s refreshing enough to see a female dominated band, let alone one made up of “three sisters and a mister” (that’s, unrelated Dash Hutton on drums).
They meet the audience already revved up and packed out by support act, The Preatures. Dancing onstage to Jay Z’s 99 Problems (the universal audience warm-up song), the girls line up and assume power stances of a different kind.
Whether listening to harmonies that rival old school Destiny’s Child or Este’s animated “bass” face (one which nearly shows up her very impressive musicianship), it’s obvious the girls are hypnotic and seriously talented.
Each equipped with a floor tom, they are masters of musical multi-tasking. With Este on bass and backup vocals, Danielle provides lead guitar and breezy lead vocals while Alana “Baby” Haim rocks it with nothing less than vocals, guitar and keyboard capabilities.
They certainly can fill out an hour long show despite having only released a handful of EPs over the past year or so. We’re treated to tracks like Better Off, Forever, Go Slow and Don’t Save Me whilst a cover of Fleetwood Mac’s Oh Well serves as a nod to one of the band’s biggest influences. Although there’s nothing particularly new about this material, they do sort of act like anthems for the predominantly female crowd that sings along with every emotion.
Este’s banter really turns the revellers warm and fuzzy in between songs. “This is the dopest looking crowd I’ve ever seen”, she opens after the first track. Already putty in their hands, the sisters get the loudest cries when they introduce Mama Haim onstage. Creeping out and blushing profusely, she films the wild audience on a flip camera phone that Alana later tells us she “just learned how to use”. Bless.
One of the band’s biggest songs Falling crops up halfway through with breathy vocals and the sisters echoing and syncopated ‘Falling’ lyric. It’s hard to tell who’s singing what but it’s the perfect showcase of their self-proclaimed folk rock/hip-hop styling.
A quick little break off stage and the sisters return wrapped in Australian flags with Boxing Kangaroos and novelty sunglasses in tow. Their encore is a full-band Brazilian drumming work out where their whole bodies are thrown into percussive melt down mode.
With a debut album scheduled for release later this year and shows already played at Glastonbury, T In The Park and Splendour in The Grass there’s no telling where these talented sisters will next take their bag of tricks.
BY ISABELLA UBALDI
LOVED: Este bringing up the house lights to “see the sexies in the crowd”.
HATED: Danielle’s vocals sometimes got lost amongst the music.
DRANK: Energy dranks .
