For those of us that choose to avoid the incessant thumping of club music and sweaty teens, the guys over at No-Fi have finally provided us with a late night solace in their new monthly event, No-Fi Fridays. Boasting a line-up of some of Newcastle’s latest and greatest as well as Brisbane’s WAAX, this event is set to be a game changer in the local scene.
When I arrived, Belle Badi was standing solo on the stage, almost hidden by her bedazzled keyboard. With an audience filled with close friends and curious onlookers, Belle delivered track after track of sweet melodies and poignant lyrics. While there was a couple of fumbles throughout her set, you had to really commend her on her ability to perform over the constant yelling at the back of the room. If you’re after a relaxing night of original tunes and pleasant harmonies, do yourself a favour and track down Belle Badi at her next solo gig.
Voodoo Youth took to the stage soon after to a building crowd. Armed with heavy riffs and a distinct lo-fi sound, the atmosphere had well and truly shifted. I was definitely caught off guard when what started out as a relatively relaxed, soft spoken set, soon launched into growling vocals and frenzied guitar solos; this is definitely the type of band that I’ve come to expect from the Newcastle scene. After some time off, it was nice to see that the trio have well and truly still got it. Technical difficulties aside, this was a solid set and a great start to the night.
For those of you who have yet to delve into the world of Triple J Unearthed, you’ve definitely been missing out. A treasure trove of under the radar tracks and artists, the latest band to snag some airplay is Newcastle’s very own FRITZ. From the very first note, there was something that I really enjoyed about Tilly Murphy’s sound, but it wasn’t until she burst into Best Coast’s Boyfriend that I really understood. A perfect blend of lo-fi, noise pop, FRITZ seems to draw you into their signature style. Closing out their set with their latest single Yuck, I was captivated to say the least. After a stellar follow up performance at Sounds of the Suburbs over the weekend, you should definitely be keeping an eye on these guys.
Now if you’ve yet to catch WAAX at a live show, stop what you’re doing right now and buy a damn ticket to their next gig at The Cambridge. I’m serious. Stop googling Taylor Swift and sort your life out.
Launching straight into their single, This Is Everything, it was easy to see why the Brisbane band have become of the most animated and sought out live acts in the Australian music scene. Dealing with a number of hecklers early on in their set, lead singer Maz dealt with the drunken crowd like an absolute pro and proceeded to smash out one of their latest, unreleased tracks. It’s incredibly inspiring to see such a strong, talented female lead up on stage; her howling vocals and relentless energy is truly something to behold.
Technical difficulties struck for the second time that night when the lead guitar decided to try and sit out on the track Holy Sick. After a couple of attempts and some extensive improvisation, the band were finally back online. Closing out their set with You Wouldn’t Believe, I couldn’t help thinking that Same Same would have been a more appropriate finale track; either way, WAAX finished strong and left the crowd literally screaming for more.
