In a commendable move from tonight's headliners, Dappled Cities, the two supports on offer are newer bands working within the Sydney scene rather than 2000s weekend warriors enlisted for a cheap nostalgia hit.
First up is Fergus Bailey & The Teeth, a five-piece that offer a Jackson Pollock approach to indie rock by throwing whatever they can at it just to see what patterns form in its wake.Their titular frontman swans about while flaunting a shaky baritone, aping a pre-problematic Morrissey with his floral shirt and Italian boots, while the guitars go from jangly chimes to choppy ska upstrokes.
They're still figuring it out, of course, but they collectively seem to have both the drive and chutzpah in order to go the distance. Some brushing required.
Up next are electronic trio Bread Club, who possess impressive songwriting skills and a magnetic stage presence. Neither of which, unfortunately, translate during tonight's set.
The former is on account of a poor mix – due to not having a drummer, most of their music runs off track that is way too quiet when put up against the amplified guitar. The latter, shame on them, is due to an unreceptive, cold audience that largely watches the band from behind crossed arms.
Despite these shortcomings, a devoted few up the front break the ice and help sing along to the velvety slow-jam closer 'Rest Of My Life', ensuring not all is lost. Sadly, it's a case of right place and wrong time for this otherwise-great outfit.
Despite their insistence they never broke up, Dappled Cities were deathly quiet for years on end following the release of their fifth studio album 'IIIII' in 2017. That all changed, however, with a surprise EP release towards the end of 2022 and an announcement of their first show in over five years.
As the band walks out following a classic curtain unveiling, all smiles beaming across a now-packed Oxford Art Factory, we begin to witness Dappled become a band in the present tense again with the opening suite of 'The Leopard' and the 2000s indie classic 'Fire Fire Fire'.
For a band that hasn't played a gig for a half decade, there's a certain kinetic energy as the quintet begin to pick up the pace.
Co-frontmen Tim Derricourt and Dave Rennick serve as a yin and yang of introverted and extroverted performance styles, with the former pushing out into the audience during staples like 'The Price' and 'Holy Chord' as the latter lets his angular weirdness speak for itself on set highlights 'Run With The Wind' and 'Peach'.
'New guy' Mark Harding, who joined on bass in 2017, locks into Allan Kumpulainen's drum grooves like he's been there from the start, while long-serving keyboardist Ned Cooke (who actually used to work at this very venue) layers in his own brand of electric weirdness in amidst the ringing guitars.
At least one song from every album gets a run – including one from the forthcoming sixth, which is reportedly done and will hopefully see the light of day later this year.
'YesOhYesOhYes' is our first taste, which turns the titular phrase into an indelible chorus hook across galloping snare rolls and urgent, bustling guitar work. It sounds like the Dappled of old, of course, but when you've got a track record like theirs – as exemplified by inspired takes on 'Lake Air' and 'Born At The Right Time' this evening – it's not a bad thing at all.
With one last ring of the 'Vision Bell', the band bid us adieu. It's likely – or at least, hopefully likely – to not be another five years before we see Dappled Cities fly again. But even if it is, they've given us so much tonight that it wouldn't matter – we'd still be there in 2032, raising our index fingers and singing like it was 2006 all over again.
