City Calm Down continue to cement themselves as one of Australia’s best live acts with an aura and a sonic presence that is almost unmatched. They’ve put on another epic performance that will stick with audiences forever.
Touring support The Cactus Channel, perhaps weren’t the most similar fit, as with local opener, Mane, but they were thoroughly engrossing in their own way. This amazing live ensemble combined brass with a roughly conventional backline driven by a super-talented drummer. The smooth falsetto vocals were reminiscent of 90s Australian band Cordrazine, albeit a touch eccentric. The sax duo brought a warmth to the sound, while the light touch of the drummer and the heavy resonant bass provided the sonic bed for the song. The sum of all the parts was a hazy, hypnotic indie jazz fusion that would sound right at home on a side stage at WOMAD.
City Calm Down sound pristine with crisp drums, ethereal ambient keys, clear well defined bass and magnificent deep clear vocals falling just short of The National/s Matt Berninger. The band sound so rich and tight live, it sounds like a CD. The quality of their gear just shines through on big stages, but credit should also go to The Gov’s for their in-house equipment.
The new songs are very pulsating, with one very up-tempo to mid paced with a growing intensity. As good as they, they don’t quite stand up to the big hook songs of past albums. Signature single Son came in surprisingly early in the set base, while In a restless house sounded rich and huge. Pleasure and Consequence was written in 2010 but still stands up today. The haunting “Blood” sounded massive, but Rabbit Down perhaps was the track that capped off the night.
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