Clews were mesmerising. They have a stage presence that is electric and at first, under-appreciated by the chattering Rosemount crowd. They soon grab the crowd’s attention, though, especially when they play latest release, Crushed, a standout number. After a number of as yet unreleased numbers that remind me a little of rockers Stonefield, Clews finish with their hit Museum, and leave the stage to huge applause.
It is another twenty minutes before Holy Holy take to the stage. The band are fronted by Oscar and Tim on vocals and guitar, along with guitarist and producer, Matt, and drummer Ryan. The crowd is weirdly rowdy tonight, with a couple of almost fights and a few people dragged out by security. But there is an infectious anticipation just before Holy Holy hit the stage.
Firstly, this set is LOUD. I am still not sure if that is down to the venue, or if they literally turned up the volume on the speakers for tonight’s show, but the bass especially is intense enough that some (ahem, weak) concertgoers grab free earplugs off the bar staff. Their light show is also fantastic, bathing the band in an alternating purple/yellow and red glow that brings Oscar and Tim into the forefront.
Holy Holy kick off the set You Cannot Call for Love Like a Dog, a song propelled by crystal sharp guitar breaks and polished vocal harmonies. Long-time fans mouth along to the words of the song that is off Holy Holy’s first album release, When the Storms Would Come. They play two unreleased songs from the upcoming new album, which they inform the crowd is “Seventy-percent done” and is scheduled for release sometime next year. The second new song is a 1980s-inspired tune that I am sure will be a hit, with an addictive chorus.
For latest single Faces, Clews come back onstage to sing the distinctive backing vocals. The new approach seems to be more heavily drum-focused with none of their signature meaty guitar riffs, though Tim’s talented lead guitar is (thankfully!!) still strong on the live version.
For the bridge of Willow Tree, the guys get the crowd clapping along, building up to a crowd frenzy as the drums kick in again. They also play their Triple J Like a Version cover of Beyoncé’s Hold Up, which is undoubtedly one of the best and most original Like a Version covers ever. The performance helped Holy Holy enormously to gain the national attention they needed to have their own music heard and now to put on so many of these sold-out shows.
Before prog-rock-esque number Send My Regards, Tim basically apologises, saying they don’t always play the song but are going to anyway. Rendering this intro unnecessary, the song is really well-received, building to an explosive guitar-led ending. Also from their last album, the band play Darwinism, and December, a dreamy song with wispy vocals and a strong drumbeat. Then there is the ever-popular track, Elevator.
True Lovers features in the encore, a track that encourages anyone not yet dancing to do so. Loud and guitar-heavy, this Holy Holy set is exhilarating and no one could leave with any doubts about the strength of the band’s new direction.
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