Unsurprisingly there’s a buzz wafting down Bourke Street as an expectant crowd wanders up the hill to get in to The Palace tonight. Not only is it Eddy Current Suppression Ring’s album launch, but they’ve effortlessly sold out the venue and the tour – something that few Aussie bands that still work day jobs like tonight’s headliners will ever get to appreciate. With Brendan Supression watching Super Wild Horses front and centre, it’s the UV Race that draw a few gasps from the crowd with front man Marcus’ stage get up. Put bluntly, he’s wearing red undies with feathers attached and a Venetian mask and not much else but it’s a commanding outfit which he observes will no doubt be ‘embarrassing my sister.’ The UV Race are one of Australia’s hottest bands at the moment and their progress is enthralling to watch – the garage three chord rumble they made their own is progressing to a far more textured and deeper approach. One of their new songs almost replicated Closer era Joy Division.
It’s all about Eddy Current tonight though, and as the band walk out on stage the crowd is rapturous in their welcome of the Frankston heroes. Sparing no expense for the crowd tonight the band – renowned for their sparse stage settings – have actually hung a Rush to Relax banner over the stage and have not one but TWO overhead projector screens showing ECSR footage. Brendan is decked out in a suit that looks like it walked off the set of Miami Vice as they open with ‘Anxiety’ while Mikey is still wearing the same dressing gown that he sported on the cover of Rush To Relax. It doesn’t take long for the crowd surfing to start up and Brendan to take off his suit to perform in pyjama bottoms and a t-shirt. As the keys come out for ‘Insufficient Funds’ the balcony Tone Deaf is on literally begins to shake as they crowd resembles a wave of bodies thrashing around, while unsurprisingly the primal garage squall of ‘Which Way To Go’ is simply pure rock n’ roll catharsis.
With massive interest from the UK and USA Eddy Current will need to start deciding which way they’ll go in their career – and whether they can take on the strains of overseas touring and promotion. If they decide not to that’s just fine, because every single person at the Palaace tonight wants to keep them right here.
