Live Review

Dorsal Fins @ The Foundry

Despite the rain and people kicking on from St Patrick's day, I knew that Dorsal Fins at The Foundry would be a gig to see. With supports from Feels Club and Top Dollar, the fun factor was already pouring into my soul before I arrived.

Feels Club jumped right into it, pumping out bangers reminiscent of Modest Mouse. Their punchy synth beats combined with the high energy of the front man drew punters to the front of the stage, starting an early mini mosh. Their five piece band, (which included a female synth player, which was nice to see) dominated the stage with their funky grooves.

Top Dollar were up next, and the capacity of the crowd had swelled immensely. Empty drink cups littered the sides of the venue, and the rowdy audience were all in good spirits. More laid back than Feels Club, their 3 piece band were big on the bogan indie rock; their ironic tone suited the plain and very literal lyrics, and basic guitar riffs. A punter in the audience whispered to their friend "it's kinda like Oasis had a love child with VB", and that pretty much captured the sentiment. The guitar solos brought some life into their tracks and complimented the rhythm well. It would be nice if he would get a new girlfriend to mix up the song content a bit, but otherwise Feels Club were fun.

By the time Dorsal Fins came to the stage the Foundry was pretty packed. The 8 piece band complete with brass section barely fit on the small stage, but their huge presence loomed over the audience, luring them closer to the stage. The most captivating thing about Dorsal Fins is the exuberance the two lead singers give off. The way all the members of the band so effortlessly communicate brings an aspect of ease to their performance - it almost seems like a fun jam even though it's so obviously tight and practised.

Funky riffs, Talking Heads style drums, raging synth tracks and lush harmonies made up the bulk of their sound, and the punters were eating up every note. Surprising everyone, they invited the members of Cub Sport to sing on their collab track Blind, which brought the energy right up in the crowd, despite being a bit of a ballad. The dreamy aesthetic contrasted with their epic solos from every member, proving there are no weak links in Dorsal Fins. Calypso percussion and punchy brass made the band feel so much bigger than it was, taking me back to my high school eisteddfod days. The second half of their set saw them play some of their singles like High Low and Sedated, which warranted a huge reaction from the audience.

Dorsal Fins are fun. There's no lie about it. Put them on your list of must see bands pronto.

-Olivia Shoesmith

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