Prying my foot from the sticky floor, I looked around the interior of the Annandale Hotel – a diminutive but popular venue nestled against the eternally busy Parramatta Road. The stage was crowded with light, leads, pedals and amps being tweaked by a hunched sound engineer crammed against the far wall.
Once I dislodged my foot from the dried alcohol on the floor and started to walk around, I noticed another interesting aspect of the layout. The pokies (despite still being around) were removed far enough away from the music not to bother anyone. Why can’t all venues in Sydney be like this one?
The Annandale’s charm may well be why its events are always so popular. It’s a venue for music and nothing else. On this muggy Friday night, Children Collide were visiting with their upbeat, punchy sound that was sure to send the small pub into a frenzy.
But first the three-piece Border Thieves lulled the milling crowd from the adjoining rooms. Dedicating their set to the pirates off the coast of Kenya (for “having a go”) the band filled the room with a soulful twist on indie. Sounding like a mixture of Sonic Youth and The Stone Roses, Border Thieves were engaging yet derivative. The event photographers had their work cut out for them as singer/guitarist Kat Harley and bassist Joel Werner battled their instruments and posed like stadium rock stars.
As Border Thieves retreated in search of a stolen beer, the crowd buzzed in anticipation. Conversations about managing to get tickets to the sold-out event were the hot topic. The chattering was broken short by the arrival of Regular John, sporting long hair and matching emaciated frames. At first the onslaught of rock ‘n’ roll captured everyone’s attention. The songs Language and We Spell Love… were so energetic and powerful they ignited a flurry of bobbing heads and fists punching the air. However, as the set continued, Regular John’s repetitive set-list cleared the room somewhat, as they lost the interest of a distracted audience. For all of their talent, the band’s full-throttle party sound slowly wore thin.
It was well and truly Children Collide’s night. The venue reached capacity while adoring fans continued to stream in. As a brief sound check was performed behind a lowered projector screen, screams of excitement filled the air as soon as any head revealed itself. Wedged between sweaty bodies, I easily forgot all of my discomforts as the white barrier was raised and We Are Amphibious burst my eardrums. It was only possible to see brief glimpses of the stage whilst yelling “it was so long, so long ago” amongst the manic throng. The crowd’s sheer enthusiasm shocked frontman Johnny Mackay into a broad smile that he couldn’t wipe from his face for the entire gig. With the announcement of every song from Across the Earth to Marie Marie, Pt. 2 it was near impossible to hear any music over the ecstatic cheering.
Every ounce of praise was well deserved. Children Collide are born performers, working the stage with an unchallenged energy and intensity. Fans leapt along with Johnny as he pummeled his guitar back and worth, head slung low around his knees. Bassist Heath Crawley and drummer Ryan Ceasar added their own flawless and practiced elements to the performance. Even as the comparatively down-tempo Farwell Rocketship came wailing through the speakers, no one could slow down. That was of course until we were all treated to a majestic cover of Walking on the Moon by The Police. Effortlessly making it their own, Children Collide held the crowd in silent awe as Johnny rivaled Sting’s falsetto.
Don’t miss another opportunity to see this band live. The smiles and laughter of the post-show rabble that spilled out onto Parramatta Road was testament to Children Collide’s awesome ability and talent. This was an unforgettable gig.
Published @ www.fasterlouder.com.au
Link: http://www.fasterlouder.com.au/reviews/events/18062/Children-Collide--The-Annandale-Hotel-170409.htm
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