It’s not often you get to see the debut tour by a new band who have just released their debut album. Usually, you come in a few tours down the track, once they get a name. Tonight, I got to see the debut Adelaide show by The Hard Quartet. While the members of the band are seasoned musicians, this is the first time they have all played live, together in Adelaide.
It was the name Jim White that attracted me to the band. He is the drummer with The Dirty Three but has also played with P J Harvey, Cat Power and Kim Salmon, just to name a few. He plays like a jazz drummer but holds whatever band he is playing with together.
Stephen Malkmus is of course, singer/guitarist with the indie band Pavement. It maybe Stephen that has attracted a fair portion of the audience tonight. Matt Sweeney and Emmett Kelly are probably not as well known here in Australia as the other two, but their reputations as musicians is impeccable. Matt played with Skink and also Chavez and was part of the “supergroup”, Zwan with Billy Corgan of Smashing Pumpkins. Emmett played in The Cairo Gang, but has played alongside of Jim White in The Double.
So, four talented independent musicians in their own right, but will ego’s get in the way of the performance?
First up was South Australia’s own Twine. Twine certainly know how to make a noise, a beautiful noise that could be compared a little to the ebbs and flows of The Dirty Three, but with vocals. The opening track, Sleeping Dogs started with the sound on an impending apocalypse, before settling down to a purely beautiful tune. Spine was more of the same, with imploding guitars and violent violin playing from Tina. By track four, lead singer/guitarist Tom Katsaras was constantly tuning his guitar. At first, I thought it may have been faulty equipment, but looking at the performance and how violent he was, draining every sound he could from the guitar, it was no wonder it goes out of tune. New Cleaner started with a slow burn, slowly building to the inevitable explosive ending. Tina helped with vocals on Deer in the Headlights and Between States coasted along before erupting into a wall of beautiful noise.
By the time the set ended with New Old Horse I was converted, and during the interval headed out to buy the CD, only to find, unfortunately, they had all gone. It wasn’t my night as the headline act had also sold out of CD’s. I have had to settle to streaming Twine’s new album, New Old Horse today and I love what I hear.
Stephen Malkmus liked what he heard as well, telling us in the next set, “Twine were epic”. They were.
The Hard Quartet meandered on stage nearly fifteen minutes earlier than advertised starting time, catching quite a few people at the bar unaware. It was a subdued start with Heel Highway, which had everyone swaying from side to side with its simplicity and quiet lull. Stephen Malkmus was on lead vocal, his voice wistful and beautiful. The three guitarist swapped guitars for the second song, Rio’s Song. This was to be the theme for the night, even the bass guitar got handed around. Rio’s Song kept the vibe chilled, but Hometown Boy lifted things a little, sounding a little like The Byrds with Emmett Kelly on vocals. Like the guitars, the vocals were swapped around all evening.
Renegade was fast and furious, but drummer Jim White’s rolling drumming kept it all together. Stephen was on vocals again and before the start asked the roadie, for a different guitar pick. “This one I have is a Creedence Clearwater Revival pick” he said. “It is made of slate, too heavy for me”. Must admit to never seeing a pick change with a roadie before.
The band kept talking to a minimum, talking amongst themselves as much to the audience. Killed by Death was just beautiful and Hey probably the best song of the night, sounding even better live than on record, but then that could be said of most of the songs played this evening. After It Suits You, Stephen said “Some Dark Matter”, but I wasn’t sure if he meant the song just played or the next, Six Deaf Rats, which quite simply was a dark subject. He went on to say “It was a cold day, not Chicago cold but cold, today however was a very beautiful night”. Sometimes you just had to wonder at the things Stephen said. The song Six Deaf Rats started nicely enough but the song was deconstructed as it went, built back up and ending in a thunderous noise of twin guitars trying to outdo each other.
Before Jacked Existence Stephen was having trouble with his guitar, looking at everything, but it wasn’t working. Then the light bulb moment, “Oh its not plugged in”. Gripping the Riptide, Thug Dynasty and a fury of distorted guitars that was Chrome Mess rounded out the set. It was just a little over sixty minutes long but they had played the entire album. We were told “We don’t do encores. We know you have got baby sitters at home” and they were gone. House lights came up and people just stood and waited. Surely there would be more, it’s only 10.15pm? But alas, no.
Half way through the set I was realising I was seeing something special. Over the years there have been a few really special moments of live music etched in my brain forever. Seeing Fraternity with Bon Scott, The Stones in 1973 at Memorial Drive, Queen with Freddie Mercury at Sunbury 1974, T.Rex at the Apollo Stadium, R.E.M. at Thebby, Even’s legendary three hour set at Jive and Explosions in the Sky at The Gov in recent years.
The Hard Quartet’s performance this evening is one of those special memories that will remain with me until I depart to the great gig in the sky. It’s only January but I may have already seen the concert of year. Yes, it was that good.
Live Review By Geoff Jenke