It’s not hard to see why; with their brand of garage/surf pop capturing ears all around the country. The band continues to conquer all before them, with the Blend Inn tour hitting all the major spots around Australia, and selling out shows at will.
The already-large crowd there for Hockey Dad didn’t initially quite know what to make of opener, Perth punk outfit Boat Show, but they were soon won over. Special props must go to frontperson Ali Flintoff, who took crowd interaction very, very seriously. I’ll definitely be seeing them play again, and expect them to headline stages like the Corner soon.
Sydney band Dear Seattle continued the party, with some of the biggest singalongs of the night coming from their set, especially for breakout track ‘Afterthought’. Their set was heavier than Hockey Dad’s, and this was appreciated by sections of the crowd. The band mentioned multiple times that it was their job to get everyone warmed up. Looking around after their set, sweat was dripping from the brow of the majority of patrons in the venue, so it’s safe to say their job was done.
With the crowd raring to go, the curtains were pulled back and revealed the band, with the reception akin to a hero’s welcome. More than matching the crowd’s energy, the two-piece proved that you don’t always need a lot of band members to put on a good show, with their sound filling the room to the brim. ‘Raygun’ had one of the biggest singalongs of the night, and starting their encore with a cover of The Vines’ ‘Get Free’ whipped everyone into a frenzy, especially when coupled with an appearance from Amy Taylor from Amyl and the Sniffers.
Other highlights included ‘I Need a Woman’ and ‘Laura’. I may be biased though, as Boronia is one of my favourite Australian albums of the last few years. Whatever it is that you like about Hockey Dad, this show had something for you. In many ways, this tour is a celebration of just how meteoric their rise has been, and a shining example of how hard work pays off. Hockey Dad have been solid tours ever since starting out, and it shows.
Hockey Dad are a band that ooze charm and charisma, and seeing them live solidifies that. Frontperson Zach Stephenson has a lackadaisical style many bands spend their whole careers searching for, and only two albums in, it seems like Hockey Dad know their musical path inside and out. Make sure you see them on this tour if you can, because they won’t be playing venues this intimate for much longer.
Loved: How good the supports were.
Hated: Standing next to the side door of the Corner.
Crowd Highlight: ‘I Need A Woman’. Don’t we all?.
