It’s hard to forget the impact that anthemic Brit pop had in the wider music world in the 90’s with acts like Oasis, Blur, The Verve and Suede dominating the airwaves. One band which veered slightly more on the serious rock side and slipped a little bit under the radar outside of England was Birmingham’s Ocean Colour Scene. The act has been touring in honour of the 20 year anniversary of their iconic sophomore album, Moseley Shoals (named after an iconic landmark in their home city) and luckily for locals, this is one tour that didn’t skip Adelaide.
Touring English act Stillia clearly relished playing to an Australian audience early in their burgeoning career and carried themselves with a lot of confidence. With big anthemic hooks and rolling rhythms, placing them somewhere between Stereophonics and Kings of Leon, this is an act with an urge to get big in a hurry. With the rock market a little more competitive these days, bands that are polished with big hooks can really stand apart from the pack, like these guys do. Definitely one to watch for the future.
The palpable love in the room for these British cult figures turned into a warm buzz when they took to the stage and this remained through the show, reaching a huge crescendo for some big singalong moments which resonated throughout the room.
The quartet opened with the pumping Riverboat Song which was driven along by the signature riff and heavy bass groove. The sharp wah effects on Steve Cradock’s piercing guitar solo cut through beautifully and his mesmerising blues heavy guitar playing only got better as the night wore on.
The sound by these vintage Brit pop stars was characterised by a natural unhurried vibe that only comes from years of experience. Rather than sterile big arena rock, this felt like a big British pub rock set, albeit to a few hundred adoring fans on a nostalgia trip. Singer Simon Fowler has an onstage sincerity and belief in his own songs that allows him to captivate an audience and while it’s hard to say if the years have been good to him, his genuine charisma shone through.
The harmonies got better towards the end of the set and the variety of the set and the decision to cover Day Tripper by The Beatles was inspired, given OCS’s predilection for big guitar riffs. Profit in Peace was tailor made for a big singalong and the the band’s reasonable Adelaide fanbase, after all these years, finally got the show they had been waiting for and, more to the point, a performance to more than satisfy them.
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