#sofarsyd

Words by Sara Tamin from Music In Retrospect 

Photos by Megan Carew Photography & Design

As I walked into Sydney Sofar Sounds at Batch Brewing Co. in Marrickville on the 18th of February the atmosphere was instantly magnetic. The sea of bodies in the venue proved to be the perfect audience for a night of wonder.

The opening act Manu Pozzi (all the way from Argentina) blew us away with his heavenly tone and his soothing, acoustic Spanish melodies.

He progressed dynamically through his set from warming and gentle to strong anddefinite as his projections boomed through the echoing venue. His between songbanter was shy and endearing and he appeared very sweet as he tipped his “lucky hat”. As he began to play a song in English his lyrics were almost like a melodic and rhythmic story, filled with catchy lines like “you make my days better” directly reflecting to the feel of his music, which at this point seemed calming and constant like a flowing wave.

As he arrived at his last few songs he effortlessly transitioned into a more upbeat tune, covering ‘Don’t Worry’ and encouraged the audience to sing along. The audience did this willingly, getting lost in the moment of magic. For his last song, Manu hypnotised his listeners by playing a tune in which he used the guitar percussively, sliding, banging, picking and plucking the guitar to create unusual sounds and resonating contours. Manu Pozzi was a real experience, which was uniquely and ultimately charming for all involved.

When Gazele strutted onto the stage with a guitarist and a box drummer they demanded attention from the get go. Gazele, with her smile beaming from ear to ear and her on stage sassiness instantly enchanted the audience. Her woozy, raw and untapped RnB tunes credited large applause and soft grooving sways and clicks.

As she ploughed through her set of all originals, she captivated us with her soulful tunes and embellished melodies filled with trills and runs. Her lyrics seemed to be bursting with motivational morals and self-love, which was refreshing and enlightening to hear. The guitarist used a lot of muting and strumming to create the dynamics that the simple and uplifting songs needed. The drummer mimicked this with syncopation yet steady pop-sensiblity. As their set continued she spat out memorable melodic jumps with even more powerhouse vocal qualities mixed with skittish guitar and spine-tingling vibrato. Gazele was extremely entertaining and beyond pastiche with their soul glow.

The already electric atmosphere became even more buzzy when Betty and Oswald drifted onto the small stage filling it to the brim with a drum kit, bass, guitar, three vocalists, a megaphone and an accordion. The four-piece band instantly astonished the crowd with their layered, catchy collection of mind-expanding melodies and jazzy scats, working at an alternative angle. The megaphone as a response to the vocalists call created a change in the sound quality to a more distant low and distorted response, capturing the audience’s attention completely.

Their music almost creates a traditional sound mixed with indie folk/jazz and blues. Their songs told stories in colloquial language with polished musical accompaniment and breathtaking male/female harmonies. Vocal embellishments like slides, scatting and crooning were used as if they were almost effortless, as they harmonised together so perfectly it was as if they were brother and sister. Tempo changes and excitement vibrating from the stage was used to get the audience up and dancing to their last song and bang of a finish. Betty and Oswald were utterly enthralling to watch and moved the audience to their feet with their ever-changing dynamic set of tunes and utterly energetic performance.

To end a wondrous night Flowertruck commenced with a psychedelic set filled with dreamy guitar fills, airy female backing vocals and strong and alluring male vocals, channelling the likes of The Cure. Flowertruck’s sound is distinctive with a basement grunge 90’s feel as well as shades of mid-to late 80’s with an explosive stage performance from the lead male vocalist, not unlike that of Peter Garrett in his ‘Midnight Oil’ days. The bands physical performance intensity worked as a remarkable stage centrepiece encouraged the audience to stay on their feet and dance for the rest of the night.

The lead male’s banter was impossible not to laugh at, as if he had no gate between mind and mouth. Their tunes appeared as if they were laser aimed to keep cool heads swaying and limbs throbbing. The guitar played bubbly scribbles of riffs as the synth sustained constant chord combinations trailing underneath, as the drums remained mostly continual. All instruments seemed to follow the melody contour perfectly. The lyrics mostly appeared with casual teenage angst although the music appearing mostly cheerfully, especially in their song “I want to be with you” which is what makes their music so magnetic.

Overall Sofar Sounds Sydney yet again was able to shake up the inner city nightlife.

Words: Alister Marshall

Photography: Megan Carew Photography & Design

More pics here!!!

Thiswas my second time reviewing for a Sofar Sound’s show and I was very excited to see what this edition had to bring.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with Sofar Sounds, they are secret gigs that are held in intimate spaces in over 100 cities around the world. This evening’s venue was a beautiful open courtyard in Newtown, and I brought along a group of friends to open them up to this secret world, which I was grateful to have been shown by a friend a few months ago.

The first act of the evening was Stephanie Grace, blending beautiful harmonies with a very smooth and calming voice; she immediately caught the entire audience’s attention. Her set showcased her full array of musical talent, a bunch of cracking jokes and her ability to maintain the audiences attention throughout, with her smart songwriting and additions of various accessories, it was the perfect way to kick start the evening.

The second act of the evening was a duo going by the name of Microwave Jenny; as soon as they hit the stage I could tell they were an unusual duo. Introducing one another as husband and wife, with a baby on the way. Their original music and the way they went about the set certainly reflected this feel, leaving even the coldest person with a warm smile on their face. They got the crowd involved too with a very catchy whistle sing-a-long that is still stuck in my head.

The third act of the night was a fellow called Josh Chamberlin. He arrived on stage with a beautifully crafted telecaster that made me drool in its presence. Josh with long locks of hair and a beard that is worthy of its own stage name itself, was dressed like a man ready to prove a point, and that he did. Armed with a very husky voice and not afraid to use it, he played a very entertaining set, showcasing his full abilities as a guitarist and songwriting skills.

The fourth and final act of the evening were Vigilantes, dressed in bright and very unusual selections of Adidas clothing, were never going to be an act you would be able to easily forget about. While it was their unusual appearance that originally caught my attention, it was their music that stayed with me afterwards. Armed with enough gear to make any musician jealous, they used their entire armory to catch every member of the audience’s imagination. Blending beautiful harmonies with new aged synthesizers, beats and effects, their music was a first for me at a Sofar Sounds gig, but boy did everyone in the crowd appreciate what they brought to the table. My personal favorite was the introduction of the saxophone, which just made their compositions sound even better to the ear.

Words by: Stephanie Miller for www.dreamsofsun.tumblr.com.

Photos by: Martin Nester Photography, Art and Design

Saturday 15 February 2014 was a night of firsts for me: first time at the Hibernian House, an artist commune located in the slightly grungy centre of Sydney’s CBD; my first experience of any of the artists on show and my first chance to write about all these firsts for Sofar Sounds. I was a little nervous, but with the reputation Sofar has preceding it I knew disappointment was unlikely to be on the agenda.

Ushering us in to what was to be one hell of a sweaty night were Jep and Dep (aka Jess and Darren). The first thing to strike me was the low tone to Dep’s voice; he had crooning country down pat with the outfit to match. When Jess piped in I was surprised by how perfectly their voices complemented each other. The longing in Jep’s voice as she slid into prolonged hanging notes was subtle but heartfelt. Their original tunes were performed completely a capella and amongst the old Persian rugs, peace lillies and sinking couches it set a wonderful tone for the rest of the evening. Their final song, You can’t hide your tears in the rain, faded off into near oblivion and had everyone leaning in, itching for that last refrain. Hats off to them!

Twin Caverns were up next. As they launched into Pyramid, Michael’s guitar echoed like water droplets falling in an empty cave. Louise’s amplification and echo gave her voice a Norah Jones-esque quality, removing the distinction between words, floating out beyond the Hibernian House walls. The guitar and vocal tones transported you and made you forget to care about the words. I loved their second song, Undiscovered, instantly. It was filled with great riffs and a catchy chorus line that I was humming again in the break. The electronic backing had a tactile quality like the sound of scrunching paper, and sat in beautiful contrast to the full-bodied tones of the electric guitar and vocals. In their final song Swell Louise delved into her lower register and, you know what? I liked it even more than her higher notes. Michael’s bluesy guitar solo towards the end really cemented their breadth of skill and quality of performance for me.

Oxford & Co. were so well dressed that at first I wondered if they were in the right place. Jackets were definitely not a good choice under the 1000-Watt lamps in that hot and humid room, but damn they looked good! Choosing to go without a mic for this set, Sam’s vocals were raw and raspy. The depth of Cameron’s backing vocals instantly settled me when they kicked in. His voice had great timbre and cut through, matching his electric guitar. Sam’s voice has a completely different quality – it was airy but with grunt, reflecting his own acoustic guitar. The combination just worked for them, but enough on their clothes and vocals, and on to the songwriting. The songs are catchy…damn catchy. I bobbed along to each and every one and although the lyrics were simple, they were genuine. These guys write seemingly simple songs with great riffs that you could easily find yourself listening to over and over and never getting sick of.

To round off the night we had our first and only solo act, Edward Deer. Edward seemed sure to muck up his new song Dependent but managed to kick out of the park. It was the highlight of the set for me. The lyrics described a delicate frame of mind and there was real pain behind the words. This sidled us into his final song, which turned out to be the best placed song to end the night. Endless layering built and built into a moving finale that had me changing my mind about this guy (sorry Edward – it took me a couple of songs to warm to you). Stepping away from the mic and on to the drums (finally they got a look in), his voice was just audible over the layers of guitar, adding an element of desperation. Abruptly cutting off the looper and ending the song and the night, he left everyone in the room on a high.

A big congratulations to all the bands from Saturday 15 February 2014 – they all gave great, engaging and unique performances. Thank you for making my night of firsts not an awkward or regrettable experience, but one I’ll want to relive again and again. 

Words by: Lauren Hansom for Backyard Opera

Photos by: Martin Nester Photography, Art and Design

It seems like Sydney is slowly but surely becoming more of a creative hub with cultural and social events becoming more the norm – and it’s about time that Sydney finally makes it’s mark. To add to this, Sofar Sounds is making life that little bit more interesting in Sydney with secret concerts held in living-rooms and backyards every month or so.

From its beginnings in London 2009, Sofar Sounds has become a global movement in over 50 different cities bringing artist and audience closer together. The movement has been a success in exposing and promoting local and emerging artists of all genres.

On Saturday night Sofar Sounds held another mini concert in our very own up and coming Inner West suburb, Marrickville. The setlist included UK’s Tom Staniford and local bands Eleanor Dunlop, Baby Lips and Silhouettes, Spectacles and Smaal Cats. With a small $10 donation at the door, people gathered together in the backyard, sitting on their own cushions and enjoying their BYO goodies. The intimate atmosphere allows for an experience where you’re reminded that they too are just people.

I felt at home, and I don’t mean that because there was an iconic Hills Hoist clothesline in the yard and a tin shed out back. No. I felt at home because there I was, perched on the roof watching over such a quiet yet warm and relaxed crowd. I could see people cuddled together, leaning on each other’s shoulders, drinking, eating, watching and listening. It was nice to witness such a sight and the sense of community that comes out at events like this. So, thank you Sofar Sounds.

Two of the Sydney volunteer organizers that we really should thank are Camila and Therese. Their focus on keeping Sofar Sounds raw, exciting and intimate is definitely apparent with the small number of invites and having the venue and program disclosed until just before the event. I can however give a hint, that the next one may just be of the rooftop type. Just maybe… ;)