Hugely popular surf-rock group Skegss, from the northern NSW beaches, swept into Gold Coast over the weekend, hitting Miami Marketta as part of their So Far From Spaceman tour.
The boys have been recording and touring for a decade, first coming to notice with their 2014 single 'L.S.D.' and following up with a series of EPs and albums, including the highly successful record, 'My Own Mess'.Having listened to the back catalogue extensively ahead of the concert (30 June), I've been searching for influences, and the one band I keep coming back to is Australia's very fine Eddy Current Suppression Ring, along with perhaps Faker, and at times The Ramones.
I was therefore interested to see that Eddy Current is indeed one of the two bands Skegss has covered in concerts (the other being their very well-known Pixies hit, 'Here Comes Your Man'). Touring has taken them to the US a number of times, including a 2022 slot at Coachella.
Skegss came on following three indie Australian warm-up acts. Unsurprisingly, the latest Skegss single, 'Spaceman', kicks off their set and it's a fantastic piece to get right into the show with maximum energy.
Skegss - image © Bill Prendergast
Better was to come with 'Valhalla', probably a highlight of their set for me, as the stand-in bass guitarist had his head whipping around like crazy with the music (at this stage the band still calls itself a duo with the founding members being guitarist Ben Reed and drummer Jonny Lani, but the tour is a three-piece set up).
'Got On My Skateboard' followed and was probably one of the most appreciated crowd songs for the evening. Following was 'Mustang' and the very simple but hard-rocking 'Slayer'.
We then have a random onstage to sing happy birthday for a friend. Following a feeble introduction, the crowd is told in a very ocker voice: "Hey everyone, it's Lauren's birthday. Sing happy birthday to 'er."
'Under The Thunder' follows with its lazy introductory chords, and the crowd loves it. The new bass player is fitting in perfectly from a visual aspect, with a great surf look, but also his playing slots in nicely.
Skegss - image © Bill Prendergast
The band works through 'Save It For The Weekend' and 'Infinity', then Reed announces they will do a new song that will be "out in a few weeks, I think," and the crowd is very receptive.
The set moves back into a couple of their big hits, 'Paradise' then the great 'Up In The Clouds'. The crowd is in full voice as the song starts with slow strumming, then joined by the bass.
Reed mixes the playing up with some seventh chords, which brings a subtle difference from the studio version. The crowd is thanked by Reed for their "beautiful, impeccable singing" on the piece.
'Down To Ride' follows, with its great train-like drum work, and is followed by my other favourite for the evening, 'Spring Has Sprung'. The crowd seems to agree with my choice, and there's a big shriek as Reed strums the opening chords.
Skegss - image © Bill Prendergast
Psychedelic guitar work from Reed leads into their first hit, 'L.S.D.', the crowd again sings the chorus in full voice. Gentle strumming introduces the last piece of the evening, 'Stranger Days'; a lovely way to wind up the great, 80-odd-minute set.
Prior to coming on, we were treated to three Australian acts, two very local to the Gold Coast. It was great to see Ben Reed watching the support acts from the crowd, giving them the respect they deserved and just enjoying the great music.
Apparently honing their act in a warehouse in Burleigh Heads, Gold Coast three-piece Takaicardia kicked off the night. Their music was a loose combination of punk and slacker rock.
The band had a new drummer for the gig, and lead singer Daene Gallagher noted the drummer had learned their songs in five days which is "pretty f...en good". The music was very heavy and not overly melodic, Gallagher at times roaring into his mic – there was a real thrash sound with the bass and drums really standing out.
Takaicardia - image © Bill Prendergast
Mid set, Gallagher played a mellow intro with nice guitar playing, constantly building as the singing came in. The music really dropped off, but the crowd could sense it was going crank up which is exactly what it did into the chorus.
For their last song, Gallagher noted: "I wrote this about just checking in on your mates making sure they're alright." Speaking to a couple of boys after their show, they both noted Silverchair as key musical influence of their music, also mentioning a number of more recent punk bands.
Carla Geneve from Albany, WA, followed and comes with strong musical credentials, having won seven West Australian Music Industry Awards as well as five WAM Song Of The Year awards.
Carla's playing was stunning! For the first piece, Geneve was singing and playing some great blues, constantly bending and twisting the guitar neck, as well as her feet being highly active on the effect pedals.
This is impressive given the really intricate playing, and throughout we were treated to her beautiful voice, lovely guitar bends and subtle playing underneath her vocals. The bass string really resounded through her playing along with some highly unusual chords – really playing some tricky music while singing, and I noted her left hand never stayed still – it was constantly looking for new interesting way to express the music.
Carla Geneve - image © Bill Prendergast
Geneve played a cover late in the set of Nirvana's 'Heart-Shaped Box', the intro notes to the song were perfect for her playing style and sound, and it was pulled off perfectly in front of the building crowd.
Ferny Fairway are another GC-based band, with a fast and musically rich set. There was a lot more movement on the stage for these guys compared to the two earlier warm-up acts.
Drummer Jack William really stood out, pounding the skins on the first couple of songs, such that he was shirtless by the fourth song, 'Liquid Lens'. This song had a long drum run in it, and the drums were a standout feature.
The next piece was titled 'Melancholy', with a rolling bass and again the pounding drums. 'Two By Four' followed and it took off at a super-fast pace, bringing the crowd along with it.
Ferny Fairway - image © Bill Prendergast
We then had a request from lead guitarist, Will Shearer, for the crowd to split down the middle and part to either side of the area. It was not clear why, until we were told they were about to play their second biggest hit, 'Ready1', and the space had been cleared for a huge mosh pit!
Security were of course on high alert, but the mosh goes off without obvious damage or injury. The set winds up with a great cover of the Powderfinger song, '(Baby I've Got You) On My Mind' winding up the series of great warm-ups for the main act.
More photos from the concert.
