Photo: Justin Ma

Ernest Ellis start quiet, but when the four-piece suddenly crash together in synchrony they’ve got all my attention. They’re so tight the interplay between them is like a string about to snap that never does, as their singer Ellis demolishes each new song with his falsetto. Next, we say hello again, quiet/loud dynamic my old friend, and your current proponents, The Cairos. Whales is the highlight of a set full of crescendos and guitar that I can only call angular. It’s disgusting how young they are to be sounding this good.

The Paper Scissors are blessed with an engaging stage presence: front man Jai Pyne herks and jerks around, staring into the distance like a visionary; drummer Ivan Lisyak headbangs with his mop of hair flying; bassist Xavier Naughton stands there, oddly normal by comparison. Engaging as they are, the focus is on the crowd, who sing along to The Yamanote Line. New single Howl gets a sing-along too – apparently a first, yay us. They finish with Time, dropping a mention that they’re going into the studio to record it for their next single this weekend. It’s another ecstatic sing-along, as expected from a band who’ve perfected them.

JODY MACGREGOR

Comments (1)

1. Written by Max, on 12-08-2009 16:22 The Paper Scissors are known as great performers all over Australia -I am crazy about their music man

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