Live Review
Gung Ho, Black Bear Lodge 28 February
It is a hot and humid evening in Brisbane, a story which locals have become all too familiar with over the past few months, and the benefit of elevation at the Black Bear Lodge does little to counter this affliction. Local drone-pop outfit Morning Harvey have an early start tonight, and as such, are greeted by an audience that is still arriving in dribs and drabs. A small group of about five does the band the courtesy of gathering around the front of the stage as they open the night in a somewhat timid style. Their brand of fuzzy, wailing guitar riffs, countered with the angelic vocals of Spencer White seems particularly well suited to the venue. A few songs in, White plucks up the courage to invite the audience to get up and dance; a request which unfortunately falls on deaf ears. The lack of audience participation doesn't faze the group though, and they appear to gradually settle into the swing of things as the set progresses; their latest single Sundown is performed with conviction, and is evidently a hit with the crowd. Morning Harvey's set is teasingly short, yet they prove they are a group to watch out for in the future.
The ever suave and sophisticated pop sensation that is Jeremy Neale is next to hit the stage, joined by his equally dapper troupe of band mates; with each man donning a maroon sports jacket. As is to be expected of a Jeremy Neale performance, a group of fan girls eagerly take to the front of stage, busting out a creative array of dance moves for the lovable imp. The guys knock out a tight set (you would hope so, as some of them play together in Brisbane's biggest group, Velociraptor) and show what a difference a bit of experience can make, as most of the crowd is up and dancing along to Neale's hit songs Darlin', Winter Was The Time, and the highlight, A Love Affair To Keep You There, all of which are a stunning showcase of the style, swagger and charm this group carry.
In a beautiful show of support for home-grown local talent, Black Bear Lodge has reached capacity by the time Gung Ho are set to perform. There's an air of focus and determination pervading the stage as they open the set, highlighting the band's willingness to please. The guys waste no time turning The Lodge into a pulsating hub of energy, lapping up the response from the crowd (those towards the front of stage are providing some enthusiastic head-banging, dancing and screaming) as they bang out all tracks from their debut EP Anywhere Else, including crowd favourites Strangers and Twin Rays. An unexpected highlight comes in the form of some smooth, freestyling beats from the band's drummer Gabe Webster, which acts as a fun intermission to the indie pop tone of the night. Congratulations really has to be given to Gung Ho for such an impressive effort; the amazing turn is a testament to how far the group have come since they released their demos back in 2011. The only negative that can be drawn from the evening is that there weren't enough songs to be played! Tonight, Gung Ho have been completely swamped by love from fans, friends and fellow aspiring Brisbane talents; it's hard to imagine they could of dreamed of a more successful EP launch in their home city.