Orb’s run of headline shows are on the heels of their recent King Gizzard support slots – shows that helped the trio get more exposure to people that love fuzz. But this isn’t a standard headline set – Orb is launching their debut release, Birth. The four-track, 40-minute romp of thunder and psych that never stops saluting the birth of heavy metal. The album is duly represented in their 50 minutes on stage.
Orb kick off with the bangs and clangs of their strongest song, Reflection. The comparisons to Black Sabbath are obvious, but that’s not the point– the dudes just love putting their spin on the music that they love. The audience gets more raucous as the set goes on, but the jostle at the bar feels rougher and tougher than on the venue’s dancefloor. The exciting thing about watching Orb is that nobody is in charge– it’s a steam train with three drivers, who’ve all studied the route meticulously. What seem like breaks into moments of improvisation are actually recreations of the album’s thoroughly crafted songs.
Vocalist and bassist/guitarist, Zak Olsen is relaxed as he lets his words out. His vocal phrasing could be likened to Ozzy, but with his affected tone there’s a lot more Ty Segall happening here. For the first half of the set Daff Gravolin is Orb’s axeman, before switching with Olsen. They even swap mics after a couple of tech issues so Olsen can keep signing into the fourth dimension. The band’s biggest strength is their drummer, Jamie Harmer. He thumps his tubs with such force, precision and finesse that he’s probably got John Bonham’s Moby Dick ready to go if his bandmates’ amps hit the wall. His timing is bang on, keeping the band on course the entire time. Iron Mountain sees the audience take their energy to the next level and Zak even requests for less pushing and more dancing.
Orb share a lot in sound and attitude with their U.S labelmates at Castleface Records (see Ty Segall, White Fence and Thee Oh Sees), and they’ll surely find a larger audience in the American modern psych scene. The only wish is that they showed the audience how much fun they have on stage. Show you love playing the music that you love.
BY NAJ
Loved: The thunder of drums.
Hated: Wanting to see a smile or two.
Drank: MB.
