Reviewed on Friday November 6
It’s that rare gem of small gigs: you discover even lesser-known supports that take you by surprise. In a good way. Sydney outfits Majun Bu and Letters To Lions did exactly that for The Lulu Raes, with polished efforts across the board and promising songwriting craftsmanship.
Six-piece Majun Bu’s blend of soulful reggae/funk was tightly delivered for a group that’s only just hit the one-year mark. Those who arrived early found themselves slinking and grooving to a perfect starter for the night, with smiles plastered across the room.
Cronulla’s Letters To Lions upped the good vibes with their surfy indie rock, sharp guitar and impressive drums. Reminiscent of Last Dinosaurs and Foals’ early work, the winding crescendos, thrashing guitars and dual smooth vocals from frontmen Joel Osborn and Adam Newling mean it shouldn’t be too long before we hear the group rotating on radio.
The Lulu Raes took to the stage with an endearing awkwardness that carried throughout the evening. With singles ‘Swing Me On A Vine Of Sunshine’, ‘Reputation’ and ‘Burnout’ littered throughout the set, the enthusiastic dancing and jumping around that’s already become standard at The Lulu Raes’ shows only calmed for a failed (and amusing) happy birthday shout-out and a dreamy rendition of George Harrison’s ‘My Sweet Lord’. Lead singer Eddie Burton’s vocals shone.
Typically, performers calling out people in their mid-20s as “fucking old c**ts” and vocals being overshadowed by guitar would equate to an average reception and live show. For The Lulu Raes? Hardly. Their body-moving closer ‘The Way Life Runs’ was an example of exactly what the boys are capable of and what their crowd gives back via ecstatic jumping and dancing. With a bit more polish, there’s little doubt the band’s popularity will increase tenfold once their anticipated debut EP is released.
For less than the cost of a decent feed, Majun Bu, Letters To Lions and The Lulu Raes helped exemplify exactly what the Sydney music scene has to offer. Amid the current pessimism of lockouts, it was refreshing to see a room of talented artists and eager music lovers collide to bring carefree joy, life and soul back to the stage, even if it was only for a few hours.
