17 February 2011

For shoegazers and alternative rockers, The Espy Gershwin Room was the place to be last Thursday night, as Swervedriver hit Australia for the first time since 1998. Oddly enough, the last show they played before their break up was on Australian shores, in Western Australia’s Margaret River. It was clear that a number of people in the audience had been along to one of the shows on that tour, with tonight’s punters ranging from very young to upwards of 40.

Melbourne locals The Demon Parade started the night off with a bang. They attacked their set with a perfect balance of manic, sometimes chaotic psychedelia and dreamy vocals. Playing with perhaps a bit more animosity than they would usually perform with, they played a number of fan favourites, as well as new single ‘To The Mountain’, which is building the excitement for the release of their coming album.

Love of Diagrams took to the stage as main support and were the perfect lead up to Swervedriver, bearing strong influences from Creation Records’ line up of bands. They played a powerhouse set of experimental, shoegazey (coincidentally also playing a song with the recurring lyric ‘to the mountain’ in it,) and left fans salivating for Swervedriver.

Taking to the stage at 11pm, Swevedriver shot into an exhilarating set, making ample use of the insane amount of effects pedals they had with them. Drummer Graham Bonnar – finally returned to the fold after being lured into a dark van by a candy-wielding Anton Newcombe of the Brian Jonestown Massacre almost 20 years ago – rejoined them on drums. Perhaps for his benefit, they mainly played songs from their debut album Raise. In fact, they almost played the whole album, the only exceptions being ‘Feel So Real’ and ‘Lead Me Where You Dare…’

Starting off with ‘Sci-Flyer’, and riddled with overdriven guitars and heavy drums, what you may call their trademark sound, it was a great song to kick the night off with, in the same way it was a great song to kick off Raise with. Playing a  mix of singles and B-Sides, an early highlight was the lead single from Mezcal Head ‘Duel’. While singer Adam Franklin may have lost that glorious hair of his, he certainly hasn’t lost any of his sincerity. The guitar and melodies sounded sweet and unassuming, and he performed the song with as much authenticity as he would have when it first came out. If the song has stopped meaning anything to him, you definitely can’t tell.

Surprisingly, they didn’t play any other songs from Mezcal Head, unless you count ‘Never Lose That Feeling’, which appears on the American version of the album.  As the last song before the encore it provided a great climax for the set , with everyone in the audience appearing to be moving in unison as the guitar spiraled hypnotically through the last chords of the song, leaving them chanting for more once the guitar effects dulled to a low roar.

Bouncing back on with ‘Son of Mustang Ford’, another spawn of the album Raise, the guitars were incredibly loud and raw and almost completely drowned out Adam’s vocals. That being said, it was the perfect way to finish an excellent night. The band were looking positively incandescent as they left the stage, not to be rivaled by the audience who were looking almost equally luminous. It was clear from the smiles in the crowd as they pulled their earplugs out that Swervedriver can expect to see a lot of familiar faces when they hopefully next return to Melbourne.

–       Ella Jackson

Get unlimited access to the coverage that shapes our culture.
to Rolling Stone magazine
to Rolling Stone magazine