Barely a year after their previous performance in Jet City, the Melbourne five-piece returned to The Crocodile. This time, they played to a packed house. And just from the feel of the room, you could tell everyone was stoked to see this band.
They responded with a set that was tighter and more energetic than last year's show -- not to mention one with fewer technical gaffes. No broken strings, and no goof-ups on the lighting. Although they still channel The Feelies and The Go-Betweens quite a bit, RBCF seems to be finding its own sound more and more.
As the setlist shows, they focused on the
Hope Downs album, with a few dips back to their EPs, plus a couple of "brand-new" songs.
SETLIST:
Colours Run
The Hammer
Time in Common
Sister's Jeans
Read My Mind
Sick Bug
An Air Conditioned Man
Bellarine
Exclusive Grave
Big Fence
Talking Straight
In the Capital
Mainland
Fountain of Good Fortune
French Press
ENCORE:
Clean Slate
The opener was an Australian quartet called RVG. I had checked their songs out, so I was looking forward to seeing them. Their instrumental mix sounded great last night, but their singer turned out to be in very rough voice. "I normally do my best to channel Kate Bush," she told the crowd, "but tonight I'm more Tom Waits." Then she added, "I blame it on America, and all yer fookin' germs that I'm not used to."
