Reviewed onThursday March 31
Well, son of a bitch. These guys know how to deliver, and their audience sure knew how to dance (and to spill copious amounts of booze in the process).
Expectations for Nathaniel Rateliff and The Night Sweats were running pretty high at the Metro. By now, anyone with a decent internet connection (or with an ear pressed to the earth) has fallen in love with the ball-bustin’ bravado of ‘S.O.B.’, and on the coat-tails of a celebrated turn at Bluesfest, the audience had turned out in force. I was half expecting a sea of colourful sleeve tats and lumberjack chic (Rateliff himself sports a beard of awesome spruce-felling potential), but you can’t win ’em all.
A crowd in fine drunken spirits is all well and good, but you’d still hope for enough courtesy and attention there to extend to the support act. This wasn’t entirely the case for Sydney favourites and all-around charmers All Our Exes Live In Texas; the rear half of the theatre was a wall of noise, and I’m surprised those fans even noticed when Rateliff appeared. Exes’ alt-country star has been surging of late, and as they showcased material from their upcoming album they had the crowd (or at least half of it) easily enchanted. Their strength is in their stagecraft; even those who might not ordinarily be attracted to this genre are hooked after being drawn in by their banter, and if you haven’t seen them yet, you should go back to your home under the sea.
When Rateliff emerged it was with a set so consummate and energetic I sincerely doubt anyone would have been standing still for long. ‘I Need Never Get Old’ is a big and beautiful salvo, led by a roaring horn section and Rateliff’s pounding vocals. He seemed surprised by his Sydney reception – understandable for an artist who has only recently found recognition here in the Colonies – and although he was certainly the focus of our attention, the Night Sweats themselves were no idle force. It was a night of tremendous musicianship throughout, from the revelry of crowd favourite ‘S.O.B.’ to the more restrained but remarkable ‘Wasting Time’.
For the lucky ones, the band followed up this cavalcade with a secret gig the following night. For the rest… well, Rateliff has a considerable back catalogue to explore.
