Live Music: Last Dinosaurs, Papa Vs. Pretty, Glass Towers @ Woodland
Words: Jane Scarffe
Friday March 18
The weather was against us on Friday evening, it was raining and too chilly for March, certainly the stroll from the train station to Woodland was populated by the sight of many young women in their best Valley clobber shivering and desperately trying to keep the rain from ruining their hair and make-up. Nevertheless, I was of cheery disposition having heard good things about the Last Dinosaurs’ live show and I was already pre-disposed to like any band with any mention of ‘dinosaurs’ thanks to a childhood (and let’s face it maybe adulthood) obsession.
Support act, Glass Towers, didn’t get the crowd they deserved. Keeping on stage banter to a minimum they seemed to enjoy themselves, despite being the only ones dancing to their songs. The barely legal, Byron Bay locals produced a high energy set full of some very danceable little numbers which eventually coaxed a few of the early crowd out of their seats and onto the dance floor. They’ve played alongside some impressive names and given a larger and perhaps, less inhibited audience you get the feeling their pop-driven, Joy -Division-you- can-dance- too sound could provide a rollicking good time.
Co-Headliners Papa Vs. Pretty joined Last Dinosaurs on their tour of the major and some regional cities and luckily didn’t suffer the effects of a near empty venue. By the time they took to the stage a crowd had gathered. Thanks to a group of very, shall we say, enthusiastic young men celebrating a birthday the band enjoyed an adoring crowd from the very first song. They matched the on stage energy of the support but were also able to create that energy among the crowd with a boisterous, sweaty set. This was my first experience of Sydney’s Papa Vs. Pretty and I was extremely pleased with what I heard. The band have blended a mix of genres while keeping ever mindful of their pop sensibility to create a frantic sound that sticks with you, tracks Heavy Harm and Wrecking Ball were definite stand outs leaving me eagerly awaiting their debut album.
When Last Dinosaurs started their set the energy was at a high, keeping the crowd dancing with Triple J favourite Alps and new single Time & Place. This being the second night of the tour the Brisbane boys seemed happy playing to a home audience, reference was made to the previous night’s show in Toowoomba where the reception had been lukewarm and we were thanked for being a great crowd before the set had barely begun. It was one of those nights were the band loves the audience just as much as the audience loves them and it made the already charismatic Last Dinosaurs even more endearing.
Crowd and band alike barely stopped for breath as every song they played was enthusiastically received. A mid-set drop in energy was combated with Honolulu, a personal favourite and show stand out, which created a raucous sing-a-long and kept up the energy until the end of the show. Last Dinosaurs have a beachy pop vibe and their infectious enthusiasm made for a perfect end of week gig; uni woes, work troubles and the rain were all left behind and an enormous amount of fun was had.
Thorpie says this review is fully sick.