Lurch & Chief’s show at the Corner Hotel on the first day of the seventh month was a rapturous celebration of arguably the most splendid rock bands this city has ever produced. This joy was devastatingly counter balanced by the fact it was their last show.
Opening the night was three-piece Pretty City who opened with gusto and tenacity despite only a smattering of 80 or so punters in the room.
Despite being less than a year old, Horace Bones’ rich and textured rock sound revealed the experience level of the musicians involved. When they performed their latest single Outside you could tell this band is just going to get heavier and heavier – think Black Rebel Motorcycle Club or Royal Blood.
Lurch & Chief, originally called Pizza, were formed in 2012 out of the ashes of party rock band Hey Fever. Yet, despite the critical acclaim of their Breathe EP in March this year, the six members had all begun to be pulled in different directions both stylistically and professionally, so at the mid-point of 2016 they called it quits.
Tonight’s set straddled the band’s entire career including songs from the 2012 Wiped Out EP with We Are The Same and Mother/Father galvanising the band as one on stage. It became evident throughout the performance that despite Hayden Somerville’s leadership role within the band, Lilibeth Hall’s spellbinding vocal performance made her the key focal point. Josh Lane told me during the week that Somerville and Hall were likely to keep working together – let’s hope this is true.
BY DAN WATT
Loved: Lurch & Chief.
Hated: That they’re breaking up.
Drank: Fernet-Branca.
