This was one set I was looking forward to with a bit of excitement for quite some time. I was quite pleased to find that the massive lineup wasn’t waiting for me when I arrived around 8 o’clock. Don’t get me wrong, there were plenty of people in front of the club, but the doors had already opened so I had very little wait time before getting in. Luck was with me, for when I stepped in, most of the folks were tending drinks or smokes and I was able to get right up front.
First up Driveblind, originally out of Scotland and now based in Los Angeles, pulled in with a tight southern influenced rock-n-roll show. The sextet had me thinking somewhere between the Allman Brothers and the Black Crowes with a few slight departures. Their stage presence was energetic if not a little cramped with all extra gear tucked away behind theirs. Check out their myspace and look for their album from A&M soon.
After a short break Wolfmother took the stage greeted by the sounding approval of the now packed house and responded with big smiles and waves for all. After hearing some of the EP I was curious as to one thing in particular; how are they doing that little toy accordion sound in the mid section of “Woman”. Well that would wait, but the keyboard setup would be my answer to that query. To open, the guys torn into “Dimension” and set the whole house a shimming and shaking along. At least I was. Another number into the six-song set had someone behind me sparkin’ a bit of the kind that you know just makes this kind of show seem just right. This was the show to remind and announce to all that Rock and Roll is still the same as it ever was. What an absolute treat this night was. These boys from Sydney know how to light it up. At one point Andrew took the guitar to the crowd for a quick romp on the dance floor and at the end Chris found himself under the keyboard rig in a fury. The night was complete after they ripped through “Woman” and closed with the spacey “Minds Eye”. Fantastic!
Peace.
Check out Wolfmother from Arthurfest
