It was a polarising Wednesday evening at Sydney’s Oxford Art Factory as three different bands took the stage to evoke three different experiences.
First on the bill were surfer rock trio Step-Panther. It wasn’t the best of starts as drummer Julio needed to change microphones and lead guitarist/vocalist Steviesie forgot the words to their opening track Superpowerz. It was irrelevant though; the enthusiastic crowd espoused them, much like an older brother would his weaker less handsome sibling. Tracks like D Minus, Fight Like A Knight and Jimmy were all played out of time and out of tune, but we loved it. The songs weren’t about anything in particular and their performance was questionable at best, but the passion and potential Step-Panther hold could power a small village in Africa.
The second act, five-piece sci-fi band Domeyko/ Gonzalez were a different beast altogether. Their 30-minute set was an instrumental messianic zeal. Not one word was sung; the keyboard, glockenspiel, violin, saxophone, drums and guitars belted out psychedelic musings under the spasmodic strobe lights. Front man James Domeyko played his electric guitar with a violin bow, bending and buckling in time with his strokes. It was loud and it was raw and just when you thought maybe someone would start to sing, the curtains closed to make way for headlining act Bridezilla.
The red velvet curtains opened unveiling a romantic stage set complete with flowers, candles and low lights that saturated the stage in a yellow smoky haze. Bridezilla are Holiday Sidewinder vocals/rhythm guitar, Daisy Tulley – violin, Millie Hall – saxophone/keyboard, Pia May – guitar and the lone male Josh Bush on drums.
The Australian quintet began with the indulgent indie/folk instrumentals they are renowned for both here and overseas. What they lacked in a bass player they made up for with Bush’s organic backing beats.
Not long into the set, Sidewinder ditched her guitar for the tambourine to sear into track Forth and Fine. As ripe as Bridezilla are in their musical talents and lyrical capabilities it has to be said that Sidewinder’s constant nose wiping was quite distracting. The audience may have picked up on this, talking amongst themselves the whole way through their set.
Sidewinder spoke softly and little between tracks Luna, Queen Of Hearts and Western Front. She played the drum kits top-hats for the climax of Soft Porn giving space for guitarist, May to interact with Tulley. Each song spilled into the other like a bleeding nuanced orchestral that hit highs and lows with the most subtle of vocal moans. A highlight was definitely Tulley’s violin performance, she swayed and swiveled, lunging into choreographed jerked movements before carrying out her signature move where she contorted herself backward until her short hair almost reached the stage floor.
The haunting last song came without any warning as Sidewinder took to the floor with her tambourine and sang of dejected love. Although I could see the beauty in their organised disaster, for most part it was lacking in vigor with Tulley picking up most of the slack.
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