Every time I walk into the bandroom of Melbourne’s iconic Northcote Social Club the same thought manifests itself in my head and runs through it over and over like some kind of Alt Rock mantra; “the Pixies played here, the Pixies played here”. Like the Pixies whose legacy started 20 odd years ago, tonight is also about the past. Not rehashing it or repackaging it but celebrating it by resurrecting the ghosts of classic bands.
The Room is already full when Grizzly Jim Lawrie finishes playing his Fleetwood Mac-esque new single Midnight Run. He and his band please the crowd with their breezy ‘70’s Laurel Canyon vibe but as soon as the lights go down it’s obvious who everyone is here to see. More people shuffle in, a black curtain is drawn across the stage and waiting bathed in red light are Steven Clifford, Matthew John Smith, Dave Manton, Joe Cope, David Oxley and Matt Vance AKA The Hello Morning.
Opening up with Poolside Lover from last year’s debut album, one thing becomes very apparent, these guys can REALLY play. They are tighter than Tony Abbott’s budgie smugglers. The Hello Morning sound like a lost classic ‘70’s band time-warped into the 2010’s; a beautiful mosaic of The Band, Neil Young, Heartbreakers era Tom Petty, Johnny Cash and the not so old Wilco.
Technical slide guitar from Dave Manton, Virtuosic organ playing from Joe Cope and frenetic Keith Moon-esque fills from drummer Matt Vance, take the energy of the music to a higher level. I look around at the crowd and there is a ubiquitous look of enjoyment on people’s faces. People are digging this. A real highlight of the set is the new single Tie That Binds; a slide guitar driven rocking slice of Americana that shows the band are maturing creatively and musically.
Even though the band can rock like Crazy Horse, it’s in the quieter moments that The Hello Morning really shine. Let’s face it, the ‘slow’ songs are usually the best time to head to the bar or update a social network status. Contrarily these are the most captivating moments to watch The Hello Morning. This is where the band gets to properly showcase the unique talents of singer Steven Clifford. Armed with a powerful husky and soulful voice (picture Tom Waits 50,000 cigarettes ago), his duet of the Johnny Cash and June Carter song Jackson with the also insanely talented Ali Barter has the crowd rapturously applauding after a particularly impassioned verse from Clifford. A slam-dunk if you will.
After the hypnotic and aptly titled closing song, The Closer, the crowd shuffles out of the room and I’m thinking about the Pixies again and how equally worthy The Hello Morning are of sharing the same stage. These guys are a class act. A young band with that much talent on the cusp of success should avoid light aircraft travel at all costs.
BY JAMES BARLOW
