The Zoo - Fri Aug 22

Tonight’s three-course meal of delicious local talent finds Skinny Jean masquerading as our tasty entree. My first experience with the band is unfortunately singer and keyboardist Heidi Minchin’s last show. A suitably large crowd of well wishers has gathered to see her off, and the band respond with what must surely be a career-best performance. The melodic combination of Anhedonia and Anti0kie absolutely floors me, particularly Minchin’s soaring, emotive vocal solo in the latter. While her absence will evidently be missed, the proficient songwriting and musical ability of her male bandmates suggest that the Skinny Jean flag will be held high aloft into the future.

The Rocketsmiths aren’t at their best tonight – their playing is sloppy, singer Dominic Miller is sans-beard, and Brenty Fitch keeps dropping drumsticks – but the strength of their rockabilly pop tunes still shines through. The Boy Who Cried Misery is their newest and catchiest creation yet, even surpassing the appeal of their signature tune Modern Life, which is somewhat begrudgingly recreated. Hopefully, tonight’s flat performance isn’t indicative of their anticipated debut album, due in October.

Throughout the night, the stage has been adorned with fairy light-lit dead trees: it’s finally revealed by keyboardist Robin Waters they were lifted from a local golf course by The Boat People’s manager. Tonight’s show serves as a belated launch for their second album, Chandeliers. The band are buoyed by the adoring crowd response that greets highlights Light Of Love and Awkward Orchid Orchard, among much-loved tracks Unsettle My Heart and encore Clean from 2005’s Yesyesyesyesyes. Jackie Marshall joins the band for a downtempo, slightly puzzling rendition of Paul Kelly’s Dumb Things, but an unexpected mid-set event completely steals the show: guitarist Charles Dugan proposes to his girlfriend during a tasteful cover of Prince’s Most Beautiful Girl In The World. It’s an incredible, heart-warming spectacle that ensures tonight’s show is propelled into truly memorable territory for those in attendance – if you weren’t, YouTube is your friend.

Oh, her response? Yesyesyesyesyes!

ANDREW MCMILLEN

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