It's my first time seeing Harmony, and I find myself agreeing with the hype: they really are one of the best live bands in Australia. Featuring The Nation Blue's Tom Lyngcoln and former Mclusky bassist Jonathan Chapple, the Melbourne six-piece play the kind of punishingly loud, raw rock that seems to be a specialty of Australian bands - it's not unlike the Drones or Nick Cave's Grinderman. But what sets Harmony apart is the chorus section, three women who sweetly harmonise in a 60s R&B style while Lyngcoln screams his lungs out. It's a strange combination that most listeners will either love or hate - and I'm definitely in the former group; the way the angelic harmonies rise above the chaotic noise gives the band a compelling sound that's all their own.

The chorus section disappears off the side of the stage just before the third song, "Extinction Debt", which is all Lyngcoln for the first several minutes. With my eyes on the lead singer, I don't notice that the three girls have returned to the stage, so that when their voices suddenly join in at the climax of the song, they seem to come out of nowhere - it's a stunningly beautiful effect. The entire band remains on stage for the rest of the set, and they keep up the very strong performance: impressively loud, yet sugary-sweet and catchy. It's amazing stuff as far as I'm concerned, but by and large the crowd seems less than enthused, chatting through some of the songs - they're here to see Explosions in the Sky. Here's hoping Harmony will be back in Brisbane soon; I'd love to see them as the headline act next time.

The floor is already crowded by the time Harmony finishes, and soon it's easily the largest crowd I've ever seen at the Hi-Fi, with people packing in shoulder-to-shoulder close to the stage well before the band appears. As Explosions in the Sky take the stage, guitarist Munaf Rayani greets Brisbane warmly - "It's been too long since we've been back, but we are happy to be with you" - and this sets the tone for the rest of the evening. Explosions in the Sky's music has always seemed to overflow with feeling, in contrast with the cold, cerebral tendencies of some post-rock, and this show is no exception: the band is in excellent form, and these poignant compositions are even more emotionally powerful in their intense live versions.

They launch straight into "Yasmin the Light" and don't speak again for the next hour and a half, with barely a pause as one guitar-feedback outro fades into the start of the next song. The selections are drawn evenly from several different records spanning Explosions' decade-long career, but it feels like one continuous piece of music, swelling gradually from quiet chiming melodies to huge wall-of-noise crescendoes and back again. During the transitions between songs, the audience applauds somewhat hesitantly - not for lack of enthusiasm, but because everyone seems reluctant to interrupt the music and break the spell. For some audience members, it seems to be almost a religious experience: at one point, I notice a young man raising both arms into the air like a jubilant worshiper.

With music as grand as this, I wish there were more exciting visuals to go along with it - not that anything spectacular is necessary, but better lighting would be an improvement. Instead, the stage is bathed in dim red or blue light the entire time. Fortunately the music is more than strong enough to speak for itself. It may not be that exciting to watch a bunch of guys hunched over guitars and drums (once you've seen one indie rock show...) but you can close your eyes and float away on the waves of noise. I'm certainly happy to do so, and with a live show as strong as this, I'll see Explosions in the Sky any time they come back to Brisbane.

Words by Grace Nye, photos by Sky Kirkham