Live Review

The Cairos, Nova Heart and LSD Ratking at Alhambra Lounge July 4, 2014

Walking into Alhambra Lounge at about nine o'clock, I was able to catch the last few minutes of local Brisbane outfit, LSD Ratkings. The guys are of the lo-fi indie rock persuasion, which is the perfect precursor to The Cairos. Alhambra is the type of venue these heavy guitar riffs were meant to be heard in. LSD Ratkings sound good recorded, but are at their best in a live setting.

Next up is Nova Heart. Lead by Chinese singer-songwriter Helen Feng, the group layer luscious sounding guitar, bass and drums over funky electronic beats. The vocals of Feng alternate from a powerful, beautiful wail to quiet, whispered storytelling. There's a bizarre feeling of intimacy in watching the group. It's as though I've stepped into a secret world where the only thing that exists is the music. The effect is quite captivating. Stunning, eerie soundscapes echo around the room and I feel like I'm in a trance.

I could best describe the sound of Nova Heart as being like Cibo Matto with disco influences. The band know how to have a good time - but it also feels like they have an agenda. Lyrically the music has many complex themes. In the last song Feng sings whilst mummifying herself in fluorescent orange tape, as though she’s making a statement about constraints or censorship. It's extremely interesting to watch - Nova Heart don't just play, they provide a visual and auditory experience. Heng owns the room and commands attention.

Next up are Brisbane indie rock legends, The Cairos. The bar is set high, as I've never been so impressed by a support act before. Happily, the guys exceed my expectations. The Cairos are great musicians and are always on fine form. There's an awesome vibe when a band plays a hometown show after a long tour, and this is very true for The Cairos. It really felt like a family affair. This feeling intensified when lead singer Alistar Richardson invited his sister up on stage to sing 'Desire', a track from the new album. This wasn't the only surprise of the night. About midway into the set, Richardson asked Ian Haug, former Powderfinger guitarist, up on stage. Haug played 'Imaginations' with the guys and chucked in an impressive guitar solo.

Because the guys didn't have roadies there were a few intermissions to move equipment around and set up. Thankfully this didn't disrupt the flow of the evening too much. One of the highlights of the night was 'Insane', a song played only by Richardson on keyboard that had to be quickly assembled and then brought back off stage. The effort was worthwhile, as the tune had a slower pace, and was a welcome break among faster, louder songs.

The set list was predominantly made up of tracks from The Cairo's latest release, Dream of Reason, though they also found time to play some early material. 'Shame', 'Lena' and 'We All Buy Stars' were clearly fan favourites - the crowd seemed to know all the lyrics by heart. As well as sticking to their original material, the foursome were able to show off their comedic side with a cover of Blue Oyster Cult's 'Don’t Fear the Reaper'. This proved to be one of the night's highlights, as Richardson asked audience members to play cowbell in reference to the classic Will Ferrell Saturday Night Live skit.

The guys closed on recent single, 'Obsession' and then called it a night. I left the venue in great spirits after an evening of interesting, inventive musicianship. It's always encouraging to see Brisbane bands hold their own alongside international talent, and tonight The Cairos did just that.

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