What a night this is going to be. I have been so excited about this gig for weeks. Not only are three of the best bands in this fair city playing tonight, but they are playing on a boat that will cruise the Brisbane River for three hours while they do so. The excitement is already evident in the voices and on the faces of fellow attendees as we line up at the jetty at Mowbray Park ready to jump on board. It’s my first time on a boat gig, I’m not entirely sure what to expect.

The vessel arrives and we are on our way. Tonight is a special night for headliners Marville as they launch their brand new 7” release of 9-Iron. The night is perfect, the river is still and calm, the lights on the water sparkle like the beads of sweat that are about to rain from the brows or our performers this evening.

First up is The Stress of Leisure, who have made the effort to come appropriately dressed for the occasion, with main man Ian Powne donning a captain's hat and Hawaiian shirt; Pascalle Burton on keyboards also sporting a life ring fascinator. Powne is not only a great performer musically, he also knows how to work a crowd with witty song intros and a friendly demeanour that helps us all feel welcome. The Stress of Leisure are one of those bands that are really difficult to slot neatly into a genre. They are also a band who I believe have not received the recognition and the accolades they deserve. Brisbane is fortunate that such rare talent as this calls our city home; a fact I can only hope, is appreciated as fully as it should be. Of course if you are among the fortunate many who have heard them play then you know exactly what I am saying. So much of what the band is, rests with the unconventional brilliance of Powne, whose obvious intelligence permeates the lyrics and subject matter of the songs in refreshing ways.

Next up are Some Jerks. I feel it necessary to borrow from the Superman intro for this lively bunch – Is it Punk? Is it Country, Surf? No, it’s Some Jerks. Undoubtedly a band that blends musical stylings better than a nutribullet blends food and the results are just as tasty. In the male dominated arena of live music, Vicki Watson more than holds her own out front. Not only does she hold her own she also holds and rocks a mean Bass. Six years on from their origin, Some Jerks have produced an EP and an Album and have had scored several spots on the 4ZZZ hot 100 line up over the years. Tonight they're smashing the audience with a thumping performance. I have been fortunate enough to see this band play many times and they have always played amazing sets, however tonight is arguably the best I have heard them play yet. There are some bands you can never get enough of and Some Jerks are one of those bands. If you don’t have a “Must See” list yet, start one now and put Some Jerks at the top.

The time has finally arrived for Marville to do their splendorous thing and launch their latest contribution 9-Iron. Unrivalled on the Brisbane live music scene, this Superduo consisting of the magical pairing of Ash Kerley (Bottlecock) and Doug Palmer (New Jack Rubys, BMX Ray), effuse dirty, skuzz, thrash, stoner, rock like no one else. Kerley is captivating on stage and oozes many kinds of appeal as she rhythmically grinds her guitar into submission with murderous fury. She completely dominates the instrument while Palmer drives the beat home with precision and intuitive intonation. Marville have been producing lovely distorted and perfectly discordant sounds, in multiple forms and under different monikers since 2008. The project began as a solo act for Kerley before the addition of drummers in both gender incarnations. The current pairing of Kerley and Palmer is conceivably the strongest combination to date. The delivery is gritty and honest with lashings of distortion and melodic feedback. My advice is wrap your ears and eyeballs around Marville just as soon as humanly possible.

The three hours of cruising is over now and it’s time to alight. Tonight has been incredible and I am wishing for a Repeat Button to press so I can do it all again. What a fantastic experience for my very first river cruise gig and I can’t wait for the next one.

-Jae Salmon

Photos: Ben Knight