Woolongong pop rockers Porcelain are back home in Australia after being based in Los Angeles making and recording their debut album Freedom And Release. After their short forty-minute gig in the basement of The Oxford Arts Factory I was left thinking perhaps they came back a little too soon.
Female front Lo Roberts was the only member of the five-piece group that reminded us we weren’t at a school band recital. “Come closer, I’m affectionate,” she marshaled before they played.
Lead guitarist Ben Richards seemed bored and hid behind his dreads. Drummer Ritchie Schafe thumped his way through the whole set on autopilot and bassist Ewen Penberthy-Groves hid behind electric violinist Asha Mevlana, who choreographed each stroke of her instrument with jagged precision.
The second track was radio released single The Last Song I’m Wasting On You. Lo’s facials were a highlight; she has an amusing stage presence which made up for her band mates tedium. She winked at the front row and did a few throw-downs sending her bright blonde hair skyward. Songs Desert Dressed In Lights and When I’m Gone had the same punchy pop sound as their radio single. Lo sung of heartbreak and how hard a time they had in L.A trying to ‘make it.’ The songs were similar in their obvious desperation to become a hit single.
It wasn’t until the last song Fuck The Radio that they started to perform with vigor and unify as a band. This was a shame because once I saw them enjoying themselves I wanted to stand up and dance. But it was too late.
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