Yours Truly, Bec Stevens, Nocturnal Animals @ Crown & Anchor, Adelaide 9/3/2024
Yours Truly stand on the pulpit that is the legendary Cranka stage in a blistering hot and vibrant Fringe infested Adelaide. The heat inside the cramped room enhanced by the sold out sign, the heaving mass of bodies and whirlwind of kinetic motion that is Mikaila Delgado and her band as they continue their Call My Name tour.
The Australian tour itself is sold out across the board making it – literally – the hottest ticket in town tonight. Complimenting the Sydneysiders are artists with strong Adelaide connections, Bec Stevens and Nocturnal Animals.
Nocturnal Animals have been grinding hard over the last year or so, entertaining crowds across the country. Mixing melodic punk with psychobilly nuances, the three piece are visually appealing with their harmonised vocals, catchy riffs and the unique quirk of the members swapping instruments throughout which distinctively changes their sound from song to song. The room is jam packed , head bobbing is rife and they even get the room to sit down and jump which is impressive for an opening band.
Tasmanian Bec Stevens is an emotion. Deep as the ocean, her lyrics are poetry with a musical background. While Stevens battles through sounds issues, the audience are blissfully unaware due to her charm exuding from the stage between songs regaling us with stories including her Adelaide connections. The music is shoegazing, lying on the river bed under trees swaying in the breeze relaxed, the content raw, angst and edgy. I’m loathe to do comparisons normally however a Pieces Of You era Jewel shows how exceptional the songwriting and performing is.
Yours Truly open with High Hopes and as the crowd sing ‘you can be my hero’ back, it’s clear just how good – and gloriously loud – the band are. The energy is electric and infectious as Delgado, who is the visual epitome of letting go and enjoying yourself, whips the crowd into song track after track.
Seeing a band this great and big in a venue this small is extraordinary and ultimately the sound proves that, they are too big to playing here and the wall of noise sometimes drowns out Delgados vocals but not her vivacity.
Every track is a party anthem as Composure, Lights On and a stop start Funeral Home have the place jumping.
In between tracks Delgado engages the crowd with stories of fake eyelashes getting drenched in sweat, how much they love playing Adelaide as the shows are always wild, what has happened in the last twelve months and a soon to be released new album. Everyone is eating out her hand.
Talking of changes, since the last time they were here with Neck Deep in September, the band seem to have grown with a fourth member on board and it adds to the bands raucous power and sound as everyone claps during Circles, dances during Bruises and sings in Hallucinate.
By the time final track Walk Over My Grave is performed – the sweat dripping from people, walls and equipment -it’s amazing to see the band are still going full throttle, the intense heat seemingly fuelling Yours Truly.
It’s great seeing them back as full band, the intimate venue setting delightful and the heat, well that was all Yours Truly. Cannot wait for next time around and the new album.
Live Review By Iain McCallum