gig review : lip issue 21 launch party, the john curtin hotel, melbourne
As a Melbourne resident and newcomer to the Lip team, I can hardly articulate the bravery of Lip’s fight against our blistering Melbourne autumn, in order to host their first launch party in Victoria on the 5th of May. Was it worth venturing out into the cold that night? Of course it was! With a stellar line-up on the John Curtin stage and the inspirational vibes that come from a room of Lipsters, this was an impressive first Victorian event.
A Melbournian of two years, I had not ventured into the John Curtin hotel. A popular music venue for local bands of all genres, the upstairs bar and stage served as a mellow place for the party. A diverse yet harmonising array of artists provided a perfect soundtrack to the community that is Lip.
Local singer and guitarist Kerryn Fields was the first musician of the night, performing a series of deep yet catchy melodies and charming listeners with her powerful voice and attitude. This girl’s charisma – “spunk” might a better word for it – had my companions pumping fists and declaring, ‘She sets the perfect tone for a Lip event!’
Next to grace the stage was Davy Simony, a folk-roots singer hailing from Cairns. A one-man-band of voice, guitar, loop pedal and foot percussion, Davy wooed us with a grounded set of rhythmic pieces. In contrast to the opening act, Davy’s music provided a lull, a steady heartbeat that we found ourselves drawn to.
Third onstage were Timothy Cannon and his accompanying band. Clearly influenced by The Beatles, Timothy Cannon’s performance was grounded and the talented group of musicians built a beautiful harmony in the room. There are too many Melbourne music venues don’t cater for the sound of a group of musicians, so I’m pleased to confirm that the Curtin Hotel provided the perfect backdrop for this band. Their song, ‘Silver Lining’ (I think that’s what it’s called – I had to guess from the lyrics!) sounded especially lovely.
The last performance of the night came from The Twoks. Electric violinist Xani Kolac and drummer Mark Leahy make a truly epic band – their mix of big rhythms and sweet lyrics seemed so free and unpractised, like they were experimenting onstage, inventing new sounds on the spot. My companions on the night raved about ‘awesome lyrics’ the whole way home, and have since visited their site and downloaded their tunes.
Alongside the music entertainment, speeches were made, beautiful magazines were sold and much alcohol was drunk. An exciting night for all who made it despite the wintry weather – Lip’s certainly made an excellent first impression in Melbourne.
Check out all the artists via these links :
Kerryn Fields
Davy Simony
Timothy Cannon
The Twoks
