Brisbane five-piece The Trouble With Templeton had opening honours tonight. Their hauntingly soulful take on indie-rock was perfectly placed to warm up the crowd. Even though most of the audience seemed unfamiliar with their work, the post-song responses were encouraging. Frontman Thomas Calder’s captivating presence and the way the band gelled together while still seeming to exist in their own little corner of the world showed off their growing experience. Packed with a youthful excitement and the vibe of a band that have been gracing stages for years, The Trouble With Templeton were a welcome opener.
Emerging in a sea of blue lights and smoke, Kodaline took the stage to tremendous applause and wasted no time opening with After The Fall. This was quickly followed by One Day, spurring the room into the night’s first rousing singalong and Pray, from the band’s debut album. Not much for stage theatrics, vocalist Steve Garrigan finally broke the mid-song silence, albeit with a simple introduction and thank you.
However, it wasn’t conversation that this crowd wanted, and with little interaction the Irish four-piece had the audience won over, every fan in the room lending their voices to every song. Love Like This saw interest rise as Garrigan brought out not only a harmonica but also a mandolin while Way Back When called the crowd into a group clapalong.
Very quickly the ice seemed to melt and the band were able to inject a small amount of banter between each song, only increasing the adoration from the crowd. Kodaline continued to impress with their ability to reproduce their recorded sound live and the sheer passion that came with each song. Garrigan’s soaring vocals combined with the magic provided by guitarist Mark Prendergast, bassist Jason Boland and drummer Vinny May to create a spectacle that lasted from beginning to end.
High Hopes was a clear crowd favourite, made obvious by the sea of phone cameras and passionate singing taking place on the floor. And while the set was full of moments much like this, it wasn’t until the encore that the band produced something truly breathtaking. After ear-splitting applause welcomed them back, the four-piece lined at the edge of the stage and worked to hush the crowd. Silencing the room was a feat in itself, and with nothing but an acoustic guitar and clicking fingers the band performed Sam Cooke’s Bring It On Home To Me, an acapella showing perfect for the small venue. As the night ended on the final notes of All I Want it was clear everyone would be hoping for a speedy Kodaline return.
BY GLORIA BRANCATISANO
Loved: How great everything sounds with an Irish accent.
Hated: How quickly the night was over.
Drank: Post show slurpies were a great idea.
