On 7 March, London Grammar powered through the classic, dry heat of Brisbane and chilled us right to the bone with their set at Brisbane’s Riverstage.
Before the crowd got into the main meal, there actually seemed to be a delightful arrangement of appetisers. Bringing along Until The Ribbon Breaks from Britain and Wet from America, both bands offered up a delectable melody that resonated with London Grammar's own, unique sound.
Wet - Image © Callum DorwoodAs usual, the lights went down and the crowd went wild as London Grammar rolled onto stage and started with 'Hey Now'. Thanks to Hannah’s extreme vocals, with her haunting contralto and dazzling soprano, it set the night up to be a dazzling showcase for the British indie band.
Click here for photos from the show.
The honesty flowing from Hannah's voice coupled with sombre sounds coming from both piano and guitar really demonstrated their ability to set themselves apart from just any old, indie band from London.
The set was amazing, echoing and matching itself with the set list, pulsating along with the more dance-y hits and then mellowing out with the more melancholic ones. The back part of the stage was dedicated to the string ensemble, which blended seemingly with the concert itself; it had this warm glow that combined with the rich tones of the strings themselves.
London Grammar - Image © Callum DorwoodUp close it was also quite a spacious stage, which allowed Hannah to roam freely and engage with the audience, waving many a time at the fans that lined the front. Beautiful floodlights shone from every angle of the stage as well, which engaged with the foggier aspects of the set.
The band as a whole were very engaging with the crowd, at one point rallying to have guitarist Dan Rothman take his shirt off. This spirited banter was a product of Hannah’s continual anecdotes about what the British were like, the weather and various things to do with their visit to Australia. It was quite refreshing to have a band immerse themselves with the audience, with Hannah offering the microphone on several occasions to let us sing.
London Grammar - Image © Callum DorwoodThe combination of the set and their unique aesthetic and sound produced this playful air of seriousness. They demanded our attention, but not in a forceful way; more of a modest sharing of what was close to their hearts, as lyrics and songs cut closer to home than what the average fan may think.
Although deep down it may be a bit melancholic, London Grammar's music made you want to take advantage of The Riverstage’s relaxed, grassy area and watch the sun go down – it was definitely one of Brisbane’s more chilled-out concerts.
Again, it was great to see a band challenge the encore stereotype, although engaging with the concept of it, they came back and relayed to us how they felt they were lying to us by going off stage and then back on. They then went on to finish with 'Metal & Dust', the band's debut single from 2013 and left the crowd dazzled and energised, choosing to finish on a more electronic and sharper note.
