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The Normanby Hotel isn't exactly known for it's atmosphere or for being a
venue that up and coming Aussie bands dream of playing in. Complete with a
few scary regulars, shredded carpet and broken windows, the Normanby is not
the classiest joint around town, and the average punter could be fogiven for
balking at the mention of going to see a band there. The stage, if it can
be called that, consisted of a drum riser and two pool tables covered by
planks of wood.
Local's 42lb Fish dropped out of the gig and were replaced by newcomers, Elsie's Neighbour. You gotta give a band credit for being enthusiastic, because nobody wants to see a bunch of shoegazers. However, in the case of Elsie's Neighbour, this enthusiasm perhaps needs to be channelled into the music and less on prancing around. More about flamboyance and showing off, the lead vocalist has taken his rock lessons straight from Iggy Pop. With their band of dedicated followers (girlfriends, flatmates and assorted hangers on) Elsie's Neighbour make a racket and blow any bugs out of the PA before Oscarlima can show them how it's really done. |
| In the middle of a high profile national tour with rock veterans, Midnight
Oil Oscarlima must have thought they were playing to the bowels of the
earth compared to the more civilised show at the QPAC Concert Hall earlier that evening. Two shows in one night has to be hard work, even if
the second one is small in comparison.
Aside from the 30 or so pub crawl drunken yobbos invading the Normanby just as the boys went on stage, a small but no less appreciative crowd turned out to see the Oscalima brand of indie-rock-pop. And when it comes to indie-rock-pop, very few do it better. The Melbourne lads can do no wrong, playing with the true talent and an Australian flavour that we have come to connect with bands on the Rubber Records label. |
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Elroy Falcon is slowly getting the credit a songwriter of his calibre
deserves. With a simple lyrical style and killer melodies, Falcon will
prove himself to be one of our best songwriters. While all the critics are
singing his praises, they're not the ones with the purchasing power. It's
the punters who hold the whip here, and playing venues such as this one
won't harm them, but won't help them either.
Backed by Charlie Lima (bass, vocals), Sven Grinner (drums) and newest addition Sonny Porter (keyboards, vocals), Oscarlima have the ability to win over any crowd with the familiarity and comfort of an old hat. While Charlie makes use of the high stage/pool tables and struts his stuff, Sven belts away on his kit and Sonny tinkers away, filling in the pretty bits as backing to Elroy's poppy riffs. |
| Oscarlima never cease to amaze me. No matter what size the crowd is, or how
inappropriate the venue, they always put in a show fit for bigger and better
things. They're up there for the fun of it and getting a response is just a
bonus.
Playing smaller shows is fine, but these guys deserve bigger shows where they are the headline act. What they don't deserve is badly publicised shows in dodgy venues. Supporting the likes of Midnight Oil is great, but we really need to see them up here more often, playing bigger shows and spreading the goodness that is Oscarlima. ~Lou Lou~ |
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