I love the Vanguard, no matter how young, and underdressed I feel when I get there; it still has to be my favourite venue. The crowd never disappoints for people watching, great selection of beers and on that particular autumn Saturday night it was nice and toasty indoors – the perfect setting to catch Gay Paris on the Sydney leg of their 4 Drink Minimum national tour.
Up first was Brisbane’s The Good Ship who by the looks of them, arrived by boat. Wearing nautically appropriate attire, they donned their instruments, and it became very obvious we were in for a surprise. Two accordions, 3 tambourines …this was something I hadn’t seen before! So I sat back and watched. It was hard to not enjoy this set, with the show extending beyond the stage as members descended down to our level to play their instruments and walk amongst the fans – what a show! And boy could they play their instruments – a trait potentially overshadowed by the bandanas and pirate outfits, but it was impossible to miss. With playful banter between members, fan interaction and hilarious costumes, The Good Ship ticks all my boxes.
The mood took a dramatic change once Kira Puru & The Bruises took the stage. Now, this band was pure sexy. Front woman Kira Puru knew how to work a crowd, subtle innuendos, not too subtle innuendos, it was great and I couldn’t take my eyes away! But the band was more than just that, playing beautifully personal soul, then instantly changing to drumstick breaking rock – not an easy feat, but they managed to pull it off with class and style. This was a fantastic band and gave punters more than just a musical experience – it was tasteful, artistic and, like I mentioned, pure sexy.
It was time for me to start mentally preparing myself for Gay Paris’s live set. I stood close to the stage, hoping that I’d be lucky enough to get caught in Luke ‘Wailin H’ Monks’ live act. But alas, this time I was missed out being covered in beer, and wine, and everything else. Next time hopefully. Gay Paris are an amazing band to see live and it’s hard (if not impossible) to not get caught up in the show, Guitarist Lachlan ‘Ol Black Tooth’ Marks oozes style as he busts out as many dance moves as possible in his confined section of the stage, and looks damn good doing it. House Fire In The Origami District – the previous single off their debut album The Skeletons Problematic Granddaughter was a crowd hit, everyone knew the words, and finishing off withMy First Wife? She Was A Fox Queen! was a very nice touch. And as a treat for the crowd, the boys topped off a cracker of a set with a sneak peak viewing of their new flim clip for The Blacktooth Super Club.
You never quite know what to expect when Gay Paris comes to town, maybe it’s the unpredictability (and talent you would struggle to parallel) of the boys that brings their dedicated fans back no matter how much beer is poured on them.
