The Strangers in Town

The Strangers in town kicked off the second semi for the Emergenza season in the Gershwin room with fan favourite ‘Dysfunctional Family.’ It was a shaky start to the new line up’s set. The band previously had two bass players but now one has swapped to guitar duties due to the loss of a member. Second song ‘Must Be Love’ was also pretty sketchy and we were wondering if these guys could handle the big stage after such a ripping set in The Espy Basement. A few new tunes later and the confidence started to grow in the band and they finally seemed like they were hitting their straps and getting to the level they achieved previously. ‘All Over You’ was a great tune and the band was now on fire and the antics were staring to begin on stage with a great stare down by the boys at the lead guitarist while he did a nice solo. ‘Strangers’ was the perfect way for the boys to finish their set; an up tempo fan favourite that packs a punch. The boys capped off a slow starting set with a real powerful bang! A great start to the night from The Strangers in Town!

Weekenders
 
Weekends put on a very memorable set in the first heat in The Espy Basement, filling the room and providing a high energy show that had the room jumping! Weekenders seemed a little overwhelmed by the big stage in this performance and early on some of the band’s musicianship suffered because of it. Luckily for the band something they have in spades is enthusiasm and energy and this kept the crowd on side and their loyal fans glued to the front of the stage. A real stand out of the band is Blake on the bass with his great groove and playing. Also Michael on drums has a good style but just needs to hit harder on the big stage to cut through the mix. Weekenders have the right attitude and could go a long way but they must continue to strive to improve their musicianship and tightness as a band to become a stand out. I look forward to seeing what they can do in the future!

Des Chio

Des Chio took to the stage to play their brand of indie rock pop for us. Again the big stage seemed to intimidate a younger band. Des Chio does have the musical ability, but much like their first performance in The Espy Basement it is just stage craft that is missing. Although we must say that the energy on stage has been worked on and improved by Dante on guitar and bass player Joel and it showed! ‘Unforgettable’ was a highlight of the set with its nice use of delay on the guitar and a tasty solo toward the end of the tune. Again ‘Yoyo’ was a highlight of Des Chio’s set! It was good to see a bit more polish from Des Chio this time around, a very young band that could have big things ahead of them!

Haybax

Jase the front man of Haybax was left on his lonesome for this show because unfortunately his partner in crime Lachlan had to attend to work duties in the U.S.A! It didn’t worry Jase though as he manfully hit the stage and went about playing his soulful tunes full of passion and feeling! He has a great voice and style which captivates and draws listeners in. Jase is very accomplished on the acoustic guitar and also surprised with a nice tune on the Uke! Powering through his set early on gave Jase room to play a couple of extra songs for his adoring fans! A brave performance from Jase of Haybax!

Mokoan

Mokoan are an honest Aussie band who wear their hearts on their sleeves and play their music with a ton of passion! A new guitarist really jazzed up the band who was very tight with his riff playing and it seemed like he had been playing with the band for a long time! A little more stage craft and presence would see this band step up to another level. ‘Don’t Let it Go’ and ‘One Way Destination’ were highlights of the set!

Le Fay

The charismatic Le Fay hit the stage the same way as in the first heat by opening with an acapella tune called ‘No Goon No Pah’ which again brought the crowd to a stunned silence! The drummer wasn’t quite ready for second song ‘Bad Boy Blues’ so front lady Jade called up brother and sister duo Nick and Abbie from earlier band ‘Weekends’ to play some percussion. It was a real highlight and a light-hearted fun way to start the set! ‘Heartless’ saw a change of singer which was a good way to keep it fresh! ‘Bright Star’ was a lovely way to finish the set with the capo nice and high on the guitar making it sound very bright and refreshing almost like a mandolin! Beautiful sounds from Le Fay!

Rejuvenate

Rejuvenate made an impact from the very first note! Being the only metal core band of the night made them stand out majorly, but this wasn’t the only reason why they stood out. Rejuvenate could well be one of the best metal bands we have seen play with us for some time! The band is so tight and Taylor’s vocals are amazing alongside Tom on dirty vocals! Solid drumming and great licks from the lead guitarist made this band a joy to watch and listen to! One thing that would make this band take the next step is for the guitarists to continue the search for a better guitar tone. A huge ending completed the set! Horns up for Rejuvenate!

Rabble Rouser

Rabble Rouser is an eclectic band that comprises of Andy up front with dual guitarists Clancy and Stefan as well as James on Bass and Connor on the drums. The band has improved a lot since their first show with us in The Espy Basement. Opener ‘I’m a Human’ was a cool way to kick off the set.