Live Review: Cakes, Kazua Tea, Opahl, Syrup, Go On

It was definitely a peculiar feeling walking into Elsewhere in the daylight. All of its warts are exposed in the sunshine. All the scuff marks usually hidden in the darkness came out to dance in the daylight. What would probably be a turn-off for the usual glitz and glamour of Surfers Paradise's nightlife was a comfortable reminder of culture at hardcore venues. The best places for music are often the dirtiest and Elsewhere definitely has that CBGB aesthetic. There's a beauty to it.

As the sun begins to set and the snags hit the BBQ up on Elsewhere's balcony, Syrup, Go On begin a slow, bouncy performance. Frontman Tom Briese paired with his 12-string Rickenbacker brings an eclectic touch to the shoegaze formula. Watching the interactions between Briese and frontwoman Liz Dick is an absolute treat as they create sweet harmonies over their noisy dream-pop instrumental bed. The band does an excellent job emulating Slowdive with a contemporary twist. With a cool banana on his shirt, the guitarist throws his rainbow guitar strap overhead. The drummer looks despondently at the crowd as he waits for his peers to prepare themselves with some dissonant lollygagging. We can't wait to see this group develop through 2018.

Suddenly Opahl explode into a state of furious noise, forcing the audience into a state of fervour. Nothing could be more jarring on a bill of psychedelic bands than some dissonant and frenetic post-punk, but goddamn it's refreshing! Watching this Melbourne-based three-piece is like watching a riot unfold in a mental asylum. It's incredibly entertaining but uncomfortable. Before they got up on stage this reviewer heard some rumours that the band are only three months old. To our surprise, their instrumental beds were performed with conviction. They do a good job of emulating the current trend set by King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard, but unfortunately they lack the substance and diversity to vindicate their quirky inspirations. It's exciting to imagine what will become of this group's potential, however. 

This reviewer could have very well done with some donuts and a cup of their namesake during Kazual Tea's performance. The band does an excellent job of cooling the audience down with their bohemian psych-rock - frontman Miles Morel's singing very reminiscent of Jim Morrison. Each individual in the group is off in their own world throughout the performance, but they all do very well to complement each other.

Cakes slowly organised themselves, creating tension in the audience before crashing down with a tsunami of testosterone and bitterly hooky vocals. This reviewer was blown away watching Cakes convert the nightclub into a hardcore venue. The fragrance of perfume turned into the stench of sweat as the dancefloor became the platform for a feverish moshpit. Very few acts inspire a visceral overflow of hormones the way Cakes do. Watching the audience crash into itself like the waves of a riptide is an awe-inspiring scene.