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 | Bad Girls Of The Bible + Pharaohs, Mirrorline Jive, Sat 26 March This was perhaps Adelaide's biggest test yet: a well-publicised gig featuring three very well hyped local bands. Last year, a modest crowd of mostly friends would have turned out for such an impressive bill; this year, the place was packed. And the bands certainly did perform. Now, when I was a sixteen-year-old searching for all ages shows, I came across a band called J-Ded, a bunch of schoolkids who were actually younger than I was. And I was quite excited about this young, impressive, professional trio, so much so that I think I probably saw them play once a fortnight for two years. But they went out of fashion around the time they started challenging themselves musically and my patience wore out: I didn't see them for two years, they changed their name to Mirrorline, and we agreed to disagree. Until last night. Mirrorline are now only centimetres away from reaching their full potential (and their potential was obvious years ago), and although there is still a little too much pretension in their style, the substance is really showing. Musically they've matured and are finding their own sound. A little more discipline and Mirrorline could well be the band they've always threatened to be. I won't be avoiding them again. Pharaohs are this town's biggest newcomers, and their Talking Heads-infused rock (think Franz Ferdinand) certainly comes off extraordinarily well. They're extremely tight, really professional and they look good on stage - all things we've come to not expect from new local bands. Their set alone would have made the night a highlight - but, of course, the star performers were yet to come. The heroes of the night were the Bad Girls Of The Bible, and were there any heathens in the crowd to begin with, we were all converts by the end of the night. The Bad Girls' are an Adelaide sensation, a viciously professional group of musicians with a sound so confrontational and yet so moving you can't help but be infected. By the time they'd finished with new single 88 Keys, with singer/guitarist Dan Pash climbing the biggest speaker stack he could find to throw himself into the crowd, we were all stunned. As a note - for all of those who bought the 7" (wasn't that everyone?), play the bright red vinyl. The CD mastering is quite ordinary, but the vinyl is amazing. After a bit of a drought in Adelaide recently, these three bands proved that there is still some fine rock in this here town. This was easily the best local bill I've ever seen - and there should be more of it to come.  | |
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