live music review: ball park music, east brunswick club, 21 october 2011
Confident enough to demand drinks from their audience and good enough to actually get them, Ball Park Music is one dynamo sextet you don’t want to miss. Front man, Sam Cromack, leads band members Jennifer Boyce, Brock Smith, Paul Furness and twins Dean and Dan Hanson, into energetic sets that leave crowds hollering for more.
Friday October 21st was no different with their sold out show at the East Brunswick Club. The smoke machine was roaring, coloured lights were blazing and stress balls were flying. The energy in the room could have been sizzled on an electricity wire and boy did Ball Park know it.
The set kicked off with ‘Literally Baby’, the first track from their recently released debut album Happiness and Surrounding Suburbs. Full of light-hearted lyrics and themes, the song was a great crowd pleaser. What made it all the more enjoyable was noticing that all the band members were singing along – even those without a microphone. Together for just three years, the group shows all the signs of being in the honeymoon period – smiling, laughing, hugging on stage – and their blatant enjoyment is instantly contagious.
Ever charismatic and complete with spindly jellyfish-like dance moves, Cromack lit up the stage – if only for the reflection off his glasses frames. Responding to the positive vibes in the room, he dedicated the 10th song in the set, ‘It’s nice to be alive’, to “everyone”. The audience responded well and took over at one point to sing the chorus unassisted. Ball Park Music clumped together on stage and all looked suitably chuffed – it was a sweet moment.
The drums were worked ferociously, Jen’s lilting chords were sweet and the occasional behind the head solo from guitarist Dean was impressive. Factor in the crowd surfing from Cromack and Brock (while still singing, mind you) and it’s no wonder the water bottles were spinning off the stage. Enigmatic and deliberately loud, the set was only eleven songs long but it was one hell of a ride.
Playing tunes from their new album and golden oldies from 2008, their show is a treat for both new fans and old. With lyrics about having fun and being happy there isn’t a song that doesn’t warrant a decent dose of hand-clapping, foot-stomping action. It’s not all fun and games though with number – “Happy healthy citizen of the developed world” – being about murdering your ex-girlfriend. Amazingly enough this still procured bopping heads, smiling faces and bodies jumping around with their arms in the air.
It’s hard to say what the highlight of the show was. The songs are like miniature stories that beg retelling and the voices that deliver them are enthused and inviting. Paired with the exuberant indie crowd, the night was one to be remembered.
Ending with the song that got them many plays on Triple J, ‘iFly’ with the well-chanted lyrics “I fucking love you”, was definitely a good move. Everyone in the room knew the lyrics and spindly arms were waving and pumping their enjoyment all the way through. Sweaty hair and sore arms were ignored as the crowd whistled and cheered – demanding an encore. And did Ball Park Music give them one? You fucking bet they did.
