Reviewed onSunday December 4 (photo by Ashley Mar)
Where to begin with Confidence Man, the semi-anonymous electro-dance collective that kick things off at a scarcely populated Metro this evening? Sonically, the quartet throw back to artists you didn’t even know you missed – CSS, New Young Pony Club, Fischerspooner and The Phenomenal Handclap Band all come to mind across their weirdly wonderful half-hour. As weird as it is to feel nostalgic for a movement of music barely a decade old, it should be stressed there’s more to Confidence Man than their DNA. Theirs is an energy that goes beyond kitschy choreography and odd hooks – it completely suckers you in.
The same can be said for Melbourne quartet The Harpoons, although they’re more the type to romance and seduce. The quadrophonic vocal harmonies add a soulful contrast to the tropical flavour of their production, matching conscious artificiality with an organic human touch. ‘Ready For Your Love’ is where it all comes together – an indelible chorus, a bobbling synth and some seriously wailing pipes from one Bec Rigby. A perfect complement to the evening’s headliners, The Harpoons certainly leave an impression on several newcomer fans. The rest, of course, have known the quartet to have what it takes all along.
Under-promotion and being on a Sunday of all nights means only a couple of hundred have made their way in this evening for Chairlift. In regular circumstances, this would put a considerable damper on a band’s evening. Not so with the New Yorkers, who emerge with grins that won’t wipe off and the energy of an arena act. Full credit to the audience for well and truly compensating for numbers by sheer force. When vocalist Caroline Polachek challenges the crowd to sing along with some of her high-octave refrains, such as ‘Polymorphing’ or ‘Amanaemonesia’, it’s not given a second thought – there it is, right back in her face as loud as the day she recorded it. She suggests the audience attempt a sway during recent single ‘Crying In Public’, and instantly a throng of bodies are doing just that in perfect time. She even asks if singing in Japanese is alright – as she does in ‘I Belong In Your Arms’ – and within seconds we have a bilingual banger on our hands.
The adoration is crystal clear on either side of the crowd barrier, with Polachek and multi-instrumentalist Patrick Wimberly getting out just as much as they are putting in. A champion effort.
