Last night marked the sold-out Melbourne leg of MS MR’s Splendour sideshow tour.
Openers Tigertown pierce another chilly evening with a sunny disposition. The likeable five-piece do vocal harmonies in a big way; meshing high-octane, riffy punches with soaring, sugary-pop vocals. Armed with blue strobes and disco balls; leather jackets and sequined leggings, Tigertown manage to transform 170 Russell into an ’80s-style disco prom before closing their set with the synth-heavy Papernote.
Some wobbly space tones soon begin in anticipation of George Maple, who makes a daring entrance, decked out in a silvery crop top, fur and flared pants combo. Band in tow, Maple is a swaggering, eclectic pop diva, the likes of which are doubtfully often seen at 170 Russell.
Her gliding, sensuous performance and bold, siren voice quickly ingratiate her to tonight’s crowd. Maple’s exotic, alluring grooving style adds a unique touch to a set coloured with crunching beats and sultry R&B flavours. Though no doubt Maple is a powerful vocalist and captivating performer, at times it feels as if she leans towards swish over musical substance. However dynamic, beatsier jams and trippy, distorted key-tones are more prevalent later in the set, as well as an especially sultry final offering in Talk Talk.
By the time tonight’s headline act MS MR hit the stage, the venue is almost scarily full. The New York-based duo, comprised of vocalist Lizzy Plapinger and producer Max Hershenow, kick off with an immediate dose of ecstatic energy, resulting in Plapinger knocking the mic stand over. Garbed spectacularly in a sparkly black jumpsuit and matching, fuzzy red coat and hat, she throws her body around with a sincere lust for life and staggeringly maintains this vitality for the set’s duration.
With her enormous grin, scruffy hair and trademark fiery red dye-job, the crowd responds to Plapinger as if she were their empowering best buddy. Her exuberant, unpretentious vocals
effortlessly fuel MS MR’s barrage of anthemic indie gems, from dreamy refrains to full blown dance-pop with big, booming choruses.
These hits notably include Fantasy, with its crisp, singalong vocals; No Guilt In Pleasure, a song to apparently support us in our “life choices”; and more restrained, trickling ballad Wrong Victory – a definite set highlight. But given the positive vibes radiating from stage, it’s somewhat of a dampener to see security interfering with rowdy fans.
As MS MR’s new record came out last week, the pair half-jokingly inform us there’s a lot of pressure for this tour as it marks their debut performances of How Does It Feel – the album’s title track. Naturally, the crowd responds to the song’s rhythmic synth breaks and vocal heart in a big way.
Catchy fan-favourite Painted closes the set dramatically before the duo, “of course”, return for an encore. Champions of inclusivity and sexual freedom, MS MR’s performance and interactions still evoke an undeniably sunny wholesomeness. With this combination, the pair exude a spirited but genial vibe throughout the night.
Gallery: MS MR – 170 Russell, Melbourne 22/07/15 / Photos: Jodie Meier
MS MR - 170 Russell, Melbourne 22/07/15
-
2MSMR170Russell18
MS MR -
2MSMR170Russell19
MS MR -
2MSMR170Russell9
MS MR -
2MSMR170Russell8
MS MR -
2MSMR170Russell7
MS MR -
2MSMR170Russell6
MS MR -
2MSMR170Russell5
MS MR -
2MSMR170Russell41
MS MR -
2MSMR170Russell40
MS MR -
2MSMR170Russell4
MS MR -
2MSMR170Russell39
MS MR -
2MSMR170Russell38
MS MR -
2MSMR170Russell37
MS MR -
2MSMR170Russell36
MS MR -
2MSMR170Russell35
MS MR -
2MSMR170Russell34
MS MR -
2MSMR170Russell33
MS MR -
2MSMR170Russell32
MS MR -
2MSMR170Russell31
MS MR -
2MSMR170Russell30
MS MR -
2MSMR170Russell3
MS MR -
2MSMR170Russell29
MS MR -
2MSMR170Russell28
MS MR -
2MSMR170Russell27
MS MR -
2MSMR170Russell26
MS MR -
2MSMR170Russell25
MS MR -
2MSMR170Russell24
MS MR -
2MSMR170Russell23
MS MR -
2MSMR170Russell22
MS MR -
2MSMR170Russell21
MS MR -
2MSMR170Russell20
MS MR -
2MSMR170Russell2
MS MR -
2MSMR170Russell17
MS MR -
2MSMR170Russell16
MS MR -
2MSMR170Russell15
MS MR -
2MSMR170Russell14
MS MR -
2MSMR170Russell13
MS MR -
2MSMR170Russell12
MS MR -
2MSMR170Russell11
MS MR -
2MSMR170Russell10
MS MR -
2MSMR170Russell1
MS MR -
1GeorgeMaple170Russell9
George Maple -
1GeorgeMaple170Russell8
George Maple -
1GeorgeMaple170Russell7
George Maple -
1GeorgeMaple170Russell6
George Maple -
1GeorgeMaple170Russell5
George Maple -
1GeorgeMaple170Russell4
George Maple -
1GeorgeMaple170Russell3
George Maple -
1GeorgeMaple170Russell2
George Maple -
1GeorgeMaple170Russell13
George Maple -
1GeorgGeorge MapleeMaple170Russell12
George Maple -
1GeorgeMaple170Russell11
George Maple -
1GeorgeMaple170Russell10
George Maple -
1GeorgeMaple170Russell1
George Maple