Ball Park Music, Ali Barter, Hatchie @ The Gov, Adelaide 1/3/2018
Ball Park Music hit town to play a sold out show at The Gov in support of their new album Good Mood. True to the album title everyone seemed in really good spirits and in good mood with the vibe being rather festive. The sold out crowd were treated to some really great supports by way of Ali Barter and Hatchie who seemed to relish the opportunity to be in front of big and enthusiastic audiences who were keen to see them go through their paces.
Hailing from Brisbane Ball Park Music have carved a nice niche for themselves and have a really great knack of writing clever, poppy, catchy and infectious as all hell tunes for all to enjoy. Their set was a real treasure trove of old and new and there seemed like there was plenty of love for this album and plenty coming back the other way. Ball Park Music are definitely the sort of band you want to see after having a shit day or week to lift the spirits.
Opening with Cocaine Lions the crowd were right in to jumping and dancing about lifting a cog on the next tune Everything Is Shit Except My Friendship With You. I take my hat off to these fans as they know every song and even better still know and sing every word back to the band. It was a really great thing to watch. Bassist Jennifer Boyce spoke up the saga of the almost missing “Bunnings Warehouse” styled t-shirts which ended up selling like hot cakes (I really, really want one) and how trouble it took to get these to the show. New song The End Times proved popular off the new album which I really need to listen to a few more times.
As the band work their way through the set there are no weak points or dull moments. So many great songs She Only Loves Me When I’m There, Coming Down (dedicated to everyone who has a Ball Park Music tattoo) to the Cost Of Lifestyle (included at the request of fans who really dig the Museum album). Some bands can really only dream about having so many good songs and for me standouts include Sad Rude Future Dude, Nice To Be Alive which was played solo and acoustic by Sam Cromack, Surrender and the bloody brilliant Fence Sitter.
There’s no doubt in mind that new tune Hands Off My Body will poll really well in the next Triple J’s Hottest 100… catchy hooks, awesome vibe, went off, they nailed it! Tripping The Light Fantastic has so many anthemic qualities and always is a great inclusion. Cromack commented on how much Adelaide brought the vibe tonight, and so they did, proving to be a real pick me up for him. The main set closed on Exactly How You Are with the crowd chanting loudly and passionately for one more song and they weren’t giving in until they got one more. The band returned to play Frank and iFly which topped off a great night out.
Review by Rob Lyon