At first glance they seem an odd three-piece, two hairy men and a soft-spoken belle on violin.
Relatively new to the Brisbane scene, August River Band formed in 2017 but spent a long time writing music and perfecting their style before making their way onto stages in venues around Brisbane, Ipswich, and further afield to Byron Bay and the Sunshine Coast.
For a new group it certainly hasn’t taken them very long to capture the attention of devoted fans, venues and festival organisers alike. The group made their Valley Fiesta debut earlier this month and will soon make their way to northern Queensland for the Airlie Beach Festival of Music (8-10 November), having won the Byron Bay Passport to Airlie.
No mean feat, given that over 300 bands battled in out in 12 different locations in Queensland and New South Wales for a spot on the festival bill.
Frontman Eev Ferreira says the band is stoked. “August River Band is terribly excited and grateful to be part of this legendary festival. It feels like a massive opportunity, signalling the next chapter in our story.”
I saw the group perform recently at Banshees Bar and Artspace, and needless to say was deeply impressed.
Skirting the edges of somewhere where folk, rock and classical collide, the drums, acoustic guitar and violin of this three-piece combusts into a sound that is at once as comfortable as wearing your old, favourite sweater (even if it’s impossible to dance along to many of the rarefied compositions) and at the same time satisfying unpredictable.
Tightly arranged, odd time signatures that seem to be driven by the whip crack of madness dissolve into soaring choruses, which unapologetically push the boundaries of the alternative-folk genre, while maintaining a beautifully soulful chemistry. Like crying while dancing.
Drummer Gerard is immaculate in his stoic timekeeping, while Lil’s classical violin takes flight on ribbons of melody that weave effortlessly around Eev’s wild picking and strumming, as he croons and growls tributes to pain, failure, grace and the sagacious hand of reflection.
Simply put, their sound is unlike anything you’re bound to hear any night of the week being played live. They had the relatively small, but rapturous audience hanging onto every note they played.
Definitely a Brisbane band to watch, catch August River Band live when they play Empire Hotel (Brisbane) 3 October and Greaser (Brisbane) 5 October.
