AAA Backstage Archive

Live Review: Bluejuice @ the Hifi, Brisbane 09.11.13

Bluejuice are undoubtedly one of Australia’s most underrated bands. On Saturday night, with unparalleled energy the band illustrated why they demand more attention, performing a live show that was pure electricity from start to finish.

Beginning the set was Rolls Bayce, the project of guitarist Dean McGrath hailing from Hungry Kids of Hungary acclaim. The half hour set as such delivered a sound that was distinctly sharp and echoed incredibly tight playing from three great musicians who performed incredibly well on every front of their playing. While Hungry Kids of Hungary are a more of a pop rock sounds, Rolls Bayce was a much more traditional rock experience with overtones of bands like Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath clearly heard. There was also a groovy almost blues-y feel to the music as well with riffs and rhythms similar to The Black Keys. Rolls Bayce if anything was an opportunity to for guitarist and singer Dean to construct music more closely related to the classic rock n roll formula than Hungry Kids and for the most part it was done pretty superbly. Sure it’s been done to death but nonetheless there was hardly a dull moment in their half hour set because the music rung a nostalgic appeal that is incredibly easy to grip on to.

Dean sounded great and was a tremendous force both as a singer and guitarist providing strong and confident vocals on the top of equally formidable accompanying bass and drums. There was clear direction from each of the bands members and every chord the members struck was done with purpose and conviction. Perhaps not as danceable as second supporting act Sures or as chaotic as headliners Bluejuice, Rolls Bayce was a great opening act, easing the crowd into the set with calming, groovy indulgent tunes.  

Bluejuice, Photo: Markus Ravik

Next up was Sures who took to the stage and played a much more high school psychedelic, almost experimental experience. While Rolls Bayce was your more old school rock n roll formulaic sound, Sures defined that period in time in your mid to late teens when you started listening to Pink Floyd and Rush, or something. Still for as many pages as the band took from the Tame Impala book, Sures adhered equally to a pop-inspired sound. Ultimately it was a pop driven acid trip, as if bands like Phoenix tried to blend with the haziness of Jimi Hendrix. It was different, a little trippy and for the most parts a lot of fun. 

But still it was odd to witness following Rolls Bayce, who were a much more mature and experienced sounding band and it seems are a hard act to follow. Though of course it could be argued that Sures had a youthful energy that the first act didn’t have, that didn’t really work for them. Sures were young and full or vitamins and vigor but were lacking in that indefinable component that comes with playing music for a long time. It was enthusiastic but a little too loose around the edges. It was fun, but it was also a little flat. Sures were cool but not quite there musically. Very much so they sounded like a high school band, which of course isn’t a bad thing, but is eyebrow raising to hear after a band like Rolls Bayce. Still they were more than enjoyable and lack of musical maturity criticisms aside, they were much closer to headliners Bluejuice and were more than adequate for priming audiences and getting the blood flowing in anticipation.

Within two songs of Bluejuice performance, though it’s a little sad to admit, but the supporting acts were redundant and ultimately the entire crowd had forgotten about them. Quite simply Bluejuice are a band that defined almost completely by their live shows. Like bands like The Hives or The Vines, Bluejuice only really need to record albums as an excuse for them to continue to play live and allow crowds witness to one of the strongest stage performances coming out of Australia.

Pictures: Bluejuice live at the Hi-Fi Brisbane

Bluejuice, Photo: Markus Ravik

For all the ‘meh’ who really cares aspects of Bluejuice albums that have always stopped the band from being in the spot light or at the forefront of Australian music, Bluejuice live is a completely different, much much more formidable experience. While their synthy, funky pop sound might not translate so well on record, it’s pretty clearly with how much energy and precision that Bluejuice perform that they wrote their music with the intention of throwing it in a live crowds face. Bluejuice live are a force. Pure and simple. The energy they brought to The Hifi on Saturday night was almost unmatched and will be difficult to challenge in the coming weeks.

From diving through crowds to moon walking on bar bench’s the energy of front men Jake Stone and Stavros Yiannoukas brought was out of control. It’s a primal and with borderline obsessive conviction that these two are able to bring so much energy to the table and demand so much from the crowd. Bluejuice developed a relationship of fun and enthusiasm that both the crowd and the band love equally as everyone in attendance left The Hifi drenched in sweet and illuminating glee.

Bluejuice were able to strike that balance between playing well and tight while also ensuring stage presence was consistently at an all time high. For as enthusiastic as the duel singers were, praise also has to be given to the band consisting of keys, bass and drums each equally integral to the shows overall success. The keys often constructed varying moods with the occasional organ sound followed by dystopian almost sci fi tones, the bass rolled and rolled formulating the groove of the Sydney bands sound while the drums found the right beat and never steered from the beaten path but was all the better for it.

Bluejuice, Photo: Markus Ravik

When it comes to performing live, every component of Bluejuice fit like a glove. It really can’t be overstated that these guys are fucking insane live. Even if you hold any amount of vitriol for the band, you’d be doing yourself a disservice not to at least give them a go at a live show. Simply Bluejuice was that surprisingly strong and unforgettable show that was probably overlooked and it’s a shame because they were at their best and it’s going to be hard to beat any time soon.