The Gaso was a hive of excitement as Jim Lawrie played his first chords. A tight three-piece band backed up his warm vocals and buttery guitar tone. Interestingly, his set gradually built in dynamic from its slower, quieter beginnings up to a Tom Petty-esque rollicking rock crescendo ending. Lawrie proved he is definitely one of Melbourne’s best-kept secrets.
Chasing Ghosts looked promising enough as they set up their equipment – double bass, keyboards, acoustic and electric guitars – but after a low-key first song, the band took an unexpected turn into cock-rock territory. Think late ‘90s/early ‘00s rock like Matchbox 20, Fuel or Live but through a Dropkick Murphys folk-punk lens. Singer Jimmy Kyle was an energetic frontman with a gravelly, baritone voice who touched on heady subject matter lyrically.
Lincoln Le Fevre took to the stage, bottle of Jameson in hand, as the bandroom reached fever pitch. He and his merry band of Insiders were here to celebrate and Melbourne was ready to oblige them. From the get-go the crowd was singing along with pint glasses or pointed fingers held aloft, or failing that, with arms wrapped around whoever was nearby.
The set was a mix of older songs like crowd favourite Tracey and tracks off the band’s most recent release Come Undone. Le Fevre has a very distinctive wail – a kind of raspy vibrato – that filled the room and sent spirits soaring. He’s a bit like a folk-punk Paul Dempsey.
Le Fevre writes songs of familiar Australiana – a kind of melancholy unique to our isolated country – the end of a childhood beach holiday, or a nightcap wine on the back porch. “Let’s wallow in the shit,” he said just after Constellations and the sense of camaraderie in the room was palpable. It’s hard not to have a good time at a Lincoln Le Fevre show. At his poppiest, he’s the host of a punk house party and at his saddest he’s the shoulder to cry on.
Highlight – Jim Lawrie’s storytelling.
Lowlight – Spilled beers.
Crowd Favourite – Undone.
