As the crowd gathered and formed an orderly line outside Brisbane's The Tivoli (15 November), anticipation grew with it.
The average age of attendees indicates that most would have been in their formative years when Bombay Bicycle Club first exploded onto the scene.A short delay thanks to a late soundcheck, the doors opened. Although the bar fills as quick as the front row, it's the merch stand line that exceeds expectations. A mature-aged attendee beside me mentions he's not overly familiar with the band, but loves to go to gigs and discover something new. I'm not sure if he purchased a t-shirt.
When support act, Merpire, takes the stage, it's a pleasant surprise for those who weren't overly familiar with Merpire (embarrassingly, this author included).
Melbourne-based Rhiannon Atkinson-Howatt aka Merpire slings a beautiful turquoise Fender and gets straight into it. Her voice is abundant, tinged with the power of Morrissette and grit of PJ Harvey.
Lovely reverb and chorus effects bridge well placed chord crunches, creating a hypnotic set of songs. Merpire/ Rhiannon lets the crowd know how much she loves this show, particularly for those who whistle. Of course, this leads to extra whistling for the remainder of the set. It's a great yin to the upcoming yang that is the headline act.
Merpire - image © Chris Searles
Thanks to a ten-year gap between tours, Bombay Bicycle Club are absolutely ready to go. They've garnered maturity during this time, surviving a three-year hiatus and various solo projects. It's obvious they’re happy to be back. A giant love fest ensues as broad grins, a chipper demeanour and energetic stage presence transfers to the audience.
Tracks from their 2023 album, 'My Big Day', kick the set off. 'Just A Little More Time' and 'I Want To Be Your Only Pet' are abstract launchpads. They're instantly infectious, but take a step back as the colourful sounds of 'Feel' take over.
The band's musicianship is second-to-none as Bombay Bicycle Club hit their stride. They're synced, tight, connected. . . whatever you call it, they have it in spades. No, they have it in truckloads.
Bombay Bicycle Club - image © Chris Searles
Band lead singer and songwriter, Jack Steadman, utilises samba and calypso beats with ease. Bombay Bicycle Club are kings of their domain when it comes to fusing '00s indie guitar rock-pop with intoxicating intercontinental rhythms.
Connecting the dots is lead guitarist, Jamie MacColl. His lace-like intricacies add layers to the rhythms. MacColl, often feeding from Steadman's guitar noodling, brings a sonic narrative like a lost take from Television's landmark album, 'Marquee Moon'. It's tasty and downright beautiful.
The studio release of 'Tekken 2' features the great Chaka Khan. However, with no Chaka Khan in sight, backing singer Olive Jones takes on the formidable responsibility. Her voice is efficient and is a worthy cover for the Chaka Khan part. Jones and Steadman's voices click together again later in the set for the lovely acoustic track, 'Flaws'.
Steadman announces that, due to rarely touring Australia, the band made a pact to play something from all their albums. The cruisey groove of 'Lights Out, Words Gone' soothes the crowd, before sparking back up with 'Luna'.
The crowd sing every word to 'Eat, Sleep, Wake (Nothing But You)', while 'Shuffle' sees fans climb onto shoulders, as if transported back to those formative times. The night wraps with the big one, 'Always Like This'. Phones record it for prosperity, creating something to hold onto until next time.
Bombay Bicycle Club - image © Chris Searles
While the band (and fans) have matured, both returned to what they love most – positivity, art and beautiful connections – the belief in bands and well-crafted indie music is still alive and well.
In any case, I hope the mature-aged attendee did buy a t-shirt. I'm sure he'd agree that Bombay Bicycle Club and Merpire would have been the best 'discovery' he's had in a long time.
More photos from the concert.
