X&Y Bar - Sat Jul 10

The Keep On Dancin’s open this latest instalment of X&Y Bar’s free gig birthday celebrations (and happy birthday X&Y, btw – it’s always reassuring to see a live music venue surviving that dreaded first year of operations). And keep on dancin’ is what you can indeed do to this band, if by dancing you mean shuffling slowly from left foot to right foot. Theirs is a narcotic brand of ‘50s/’60s-flavoured pop covered in cavernous Spector echo and twanging guitars equal parts Mazzy Star and Julee Cruise. “We’re a bit depressing” admits singer/bassist Jacinta but their darkness remains warmly listenable.

A respectable audience ultimately bops energetically to Dan Kelly, but they are clearly not here for Phil Smith & The Lights who play to almost nobody while most punters sip cocktails downstairs or smoke ciggies out the back. Although supporting Dan Kelly, Phil and band sound like they’re more influenced by Dan’s uncle Paul. Their chugging country rock is perhaps a bit too straight-faced and earnest for tonight’s crowd who prove far more receptive to Dan’s ditties about Bindi Irwin and hot checkout chicks. At the end, Phil breaks a string needed to play the last song, ending the set prematurely. Presumably not one of their better shows.

Dan Kelly & His Dream Band are appropriately upbeat pub rockers (including musos from Augie March and Ground Components), Kelly bettering Phil by breaking his string in the first song (a spirited Summer Wino). As later on-stage guest Dylan McCormack changes the busted string, Kelly stays on stage for an acoustic run-through of the lovably profane Drunk On Election Night. The tongue-in-cheek sing-alongs keep coming, including Bindi Irwin Apocalypse Jam, Checkout Cutie and the epic groove-mantra finale Dan Kelly’s Dream, which ends with our hero playing with his pedals and leaving the stage as the guitar unleashes swathes of echoing distortion. Energetic cries for an encore follow, forcing Kelly to come back on and announce his band haven’t learned enough songs yet. No damage done, however, as this is another excellent set from the tall-haired rocker.

MATT THROWER

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