Taking their most ambitious and latest album, Departure Songs, out for the final time in its complete form, We Lost The Sea brought a sold out Northcote Social Club to the heights of sonic ecstasy.
Absolutely stirring the crowd into a frothing frenzy was main support The Crooked Fiddle Band, whose unique, self-styled, post-apocalyptic world music was the perfect segue into the evening. Their manic and out of this world performance was truly crafted as a visual treat, with the crowd not knowing what surprises were up next, and each member playing multiple instruments in multiple ways in an aggressively intimate manner.
When We Lost The Sea filled the stage with their epic six man army, you could feel the excitement as the crowd pushed forward right up to the stage, filling every gap in the room. Playing the album in its entirety meant opening with A Gallant Gentleman, which was like a slow ascension into those open spaces of delayed guitars and crashing cymbals and set the tone for the progression of the night. There’s intensity in the bands subdued energy, with crawling buildups that really make you wait, building up the tension to the point of almost snapping before releasing in full force everything they have. During the quieter sections of the songs the band is almost still, but the moment it comes crashing down you can see the deep feeling on each band members face as they express everything they’ve ever felt when writing the album.
It seems to be something that gets taken for granted in this current age of shuffle and Spotify, but to experience an album performed in its entirety from start to finish, the way it was intended when it was crafted originally, is breathtaking. What made this performance even more special was the poetic nature of the situation, not only is it the final time the album will be played in its entirety, but it’s the final tour their guitarist Brendon Warner will play with the band before his own departure, and every note was played exactly as it was meant to be.
Words by David Ohaion
Image by Zo Damage
Highlight: The glowing energy in the room.
Lowlight: No encore.
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