Due to a mix-up with the run times on the Hordern website, we rocked up not long after doors opened and had to queue, the horror (no really, I don't think I've queued for a band since forever). Once we were in we decided to give The Jungle Giants a go. They struck me as very young, and as Al noted, their sound is just like a dozen other bands you'd hear on triple J at the moment (we thought maybe early Dappled Cities, Vampire Weekend, Givers, etc etc). But props for a confident, tight set that was a crowd-pleaser.
The great thing about punk(-ish) bands is that if you don't like a song, you know another one will be along in less than two minutes. The Vaccines were on for only 40 minutes but they managed a full-sized set in that time! Since they're quite bouncy on record, I kind of expected them to be even louder and more fun live, but it didn't translate completely. Justin Young's vocals were a bit thin and seemed a lost in the mix at times; so upbeat singles like Teenage Icon and If You Wanna didn't quite have the punch expected. Highlights for me were I Always Knew with good audience sing-a-long, and surprisingly, All in White from 2011's What Did You Expect...
No Hope
Tiger Blood
Wreckin' Bar (Ra Ra Ra)
I Always Knew
Wetsuit
Aftershave Ocean
Teenage Icon
Ghost Town
Post Break-up Sex
All in White
If You Wanna
Bad Mood
Norgaard
I'd been told good things about Two Door Cinema Club as a live experience, and I'm happy to say they lived up to them. It was an energetic, enjoyable set - tuneful and lots of fun to dance to (which meant, unfortunately, lots of flaily, drunk dudebros, but what can you do?). Lead singer Alex Trimble's voice was good and strong, cutting through the sound and rhythm to soar in songs like Wake Up and Sun. Nice staging too - the ever-changing light show backdrop was simple but effective and worked well with the music. And you can never go wrong with giant balloons for a strong finish. :)
photo thanks to Al
Sleep Alone
Undercover Martyn
Do You Want It All
This is the Life
Wake Up
You're Not Stubborn
Sun
Pyramid
I Can Talk
Costume Party
The World is Watching
New Year
Something Good Can Work
Handshake
Eat That Up, It's Good For You
Someday
Come Back Home
What You Know
