Review: Victoria Nugent
 |
Friday night at the Zoo, the crowd is still pretty thin as New Zealand four-piece The Artisan Guns take to the stage. Between bantering about having been awake for nearly a whole day, thanks to flights and time differences, the band shows off their ability for mellow melodies and beautiful harmonies. Soft vocals are teamed with perfectly timed guitars, with sudden dynamic upsurges scattered throughout the set. The group present a beautifully melancholy cover of the Michelle Branch |
hit, Everywhere to Me, as well as showcasing their own skilful song writing capabilities.
Next to grace the stage are Sydney pop band The Holidays with a great mix of the upbeat songs which have been winning them fans, as well debuting some new songs. Their usual drummer, Andrew Kerridge was joined by an additional percussionist, creating an amazing percussion section with effective cowbells and a drumbeat that ran right through the crowd.
Vocalist Simon Jones proved himself to have a truly impressive vocal range, with his high notes stealing the show. The band’s high spirited, infectious songs are likely to ensure they won’t remain a support act for long. They wound their set up with recent single Golden Sky, which mixed a jungle style beat with Jones’ almost falsetto vocals and a catchy chant-like hook.
After a break that lasted much longer than it should have, local indie pop darlings Hungry Kids of Hungary took to the stage, launching into an energetic performance of crowd-pleaser Set It Right. A happy vibe swept through now-large crowd, who sang and danced long as the band performed a set full of passion and infectious energy, playing a mix of old favourites and material from their upcoming new album. The drums and harmonies contrasted with each other nicely throughout much of the set, with the band’s energy never flagging, although a bit more banter would have gone a long way.
A near perfect rendition of Arrest This Heart made my own heart feel like it was arrested by the sheer beauty of the stripped back performance. Let You Down was perhaps the darling of the set, with its hooky chorus and amazing dynamics getting the crowd right into the spirit of things. Favourites All You Need To Know and Lenny also got great reactions from the crowd. Ultimately, a good night of entertainment, with the support acts shining just as brightly as the main event.
Related:
Hungry Kids of Hungary “Shady Haze of Winter” Tour August 2010 [Tour Details & Tickets Comp]
– Mega Mountain – EP – Hungry Kids of Hungary – The Holidays – Artisan Guns