A city can have all the talent in the world – but what’s the point if it’s not supported? We can have brilliant writers, but to what avail if publishing houses only want a magazine gopher’s poorly written tell-all? We can have wonderful actors, but so what if we can’t give them a stage, a movie set or a script? We can have extraordinary musicians, but if we don’t give them the opportunities to perform and record, we’re robbing our cultural scene of precious, serious talent.
It has long been a problem of mine, and one I don’t want to let command this piece and turn it into a personal rant with a side of ‘music review’ – but it has to be said, Sydney is losing its edge. Its grit. Its creativity. The thing is, we can miss a few gigs, shrug our shoulders in sympathy at our writer friend’s latest rejection letter, be too busy to catch a local theatre show, make a mental note to attend that art exhibition and forget about it – but continued apathy towards our city’s artistic scene adds up. And we’re going to wake up one morning and find our city that has so much potential, and so much vibrancy pulsing through it, has become a cultural desert.
So, I’m hopping off my soapbox now and getting to the point – the wrap up of Musication. A showcase borne of general frustration for the lack of support and opportunities for local musicians, Musication’s sole aim was to educate Sydney in what’s pulsing beneath the city’s glossy surface – pure, unadulterated talent. Pure, unadulterated talent that needs to be seen, loved, nurtured and encouraged.
It poured with rain on Friday night. It was cold and miserable and there was a moment the damp floor and my heels almost had a disagreement. But for those who did get down to Musication, held in one of Sydney’s premier live music venues, The Gaelic, the temperature was absolutely scorching. Five high energy hours comprising a line up of five of Sydney’s most exciting acts will do that. Particularly when the bands are so damn good looking.
Kicking off the evening was Saving Grace. Fresh from the launch of their new single, 1,2,3, the previous evening, Sam McNeill pushed those wondrous vocals for one final night before reaching for the scarf and lemon tea (presumably … he may have a more rock-star remedy, I don’t know). With their signature fusion of folk and rock and haunting lyrics, it was an effortless capture of the room’s attention. Having seen these guys perform live numerous times, I’ve come to expect nothing less.
Ranger Spacey, the second act of the night, was mind blowing. At one point the entire room was standing still, staring at the stage. Didn’t think you could blend rock/indie/country and still manage a soulful sound? Think again. Lead singer Jimi Linton has the rare combination of both love and reverence for what he does, and the result is an honest, charged live performance. Ranger Spacey had the room right where they wanted them.
Picking up where Ranger Spacey left off, Ziggie Flax took to the stage and absolutely killed it. Wow. Seriously, wow. Sweaty and electrifying, this unassuming trio worked the crowd into a frenzy. They surpassed energetic and entered intense, and took a willing, dare I say it, pliant audience into the zone with them. And when I say pliant, I mean pliant – there was swooning, there were feverish dance routines and there was screaming. And that was just from the boys.
Taking to the stage minus their drummer (wrist injury) and lead guitarist (overseas) The Affairs didn’t let that speed bump slow them down. The bouncy blend of pop, rock and attitude from these smooth operators was the perfect chaser off the back of the passionate furor that was Ziggie Flax. If you don’t bop to The Affairs, there’s something wrong with you. And yes, I said bop.
Wrapping up the evening, and playing to a crowd that had all but worn through the soles of their shoes, was Sierra Montana. Arguably the bigger name of the night, they failed to fulfill the promise of reputation. Whether they were tired, or couldn’t quite blow the dust off a gig sabbatical, I’m not sure – but I was expecting more.
So thank you to the tremendous musicians who put their money where their mouth is and showed the equally as tremendous audience members why we have to keep supporting our music scene. Thank you to the Sydney-siders who appreciate the desperate need for us to band together and support our city’s talent. And thank you to the man who made my kebab at 4am – you are a hero.
For more photos, head over here.
All images copyright Olivia Hambrett
