Mouldy Lovers and Chocolate Strings brought the party across town on Friday (6 February) – marking new territory at Newstead’s The Triffid.
There are two types in the Brisbane music scene – those with icy too-cool vibes, and those who flail their bodies around merrily, leaving any sense of pretension with their tickets at the door. This crowd, beyond doubt, was the latter.
Chocolate Strings © Josh ThiesIndie roots four-piece Moski Jo christened the evening with rustic harmonies, swaying tempos and vocalist Michael Josephson’s cheery twang. They were amusingly self-deprecating for a band who managed to pull such an eager crowd so early in the night. The vast dancefloor looked like a middle-school chemistry lesson – molecules bouncing off each other, faster and hotter as the songs played on. Of course, these molecules were of the gypsy variety, happy-go-lucky with a drink in hand.
After a heartfelt acknowledgement of the Aboriginal owners of the land, hip hop folk act Rivermouth opened with ‘Flood City’, a Brisbane-centric wake-up call (“this is a young city with a goldfish memory”). Frontman Jo Sri’s poetic proclamations touched on everything from asylum seekers to life as a minority. Driven by Geoff Wong’s tinkling ivories and Canna Townsend’s powerful basslines, only something this special could get such a cheerful reaction out of Sri’s self-described "angry protest music".
Reggae-funk veterans Chocolate Strings worked a different kind of charm – as smooth and decadent as their name suggested. Launching their self-titled second album, the eight-piece dominted the stage in sharp white shirts and buckets of attitude – pumping out a fluid blend of party-ready soul and deep dub. You couldn’t take your attention off leading ladies Ofa Fanaika, Jungles Loa McWalters and Nia Falekakala and their hypnotic foot-stomping, shoulder-popping presence. Not to mention those powerhouse pipes. Maximum groove mode: activated.
Then came resident gypsy ska punkers The Mouldy Lovers to wrap up the marathon line-up. Renowned for their raucous live-performances, the eight-piece opened with ‘Hemlock’, a heart-thumping banger from their new album, 'Mondegreen'. “We're having a musical orgy and everyone’s invited,” vocalist Gavin Cook declared. Boy, did the audience readily accept.
The molecules were positively at boiling point now. Bursts of energy like ‘Yonder Ruckus’ were punctuated with brass-heavy instrumental interludes, giving the crowd a chance to catch their breath. This ragtag team – propelled by Louis Whelan’s accordion and anchored by Laura Kirkwood’s metronomic flair – delivered the goods, as usual, amongst a scene of chaos onstage.
