Live Review: City Calm Down

“It’s a privilege to say goodbye on such a high note in our hometown, with family and friends here tonight," says lead singer Jack Bourke. City Calm Down are giving us all the nostalgic feels as they perform their last show ever after announcing an indefinite hiatus earlier this month. "You’ve really made our dreams come true,” he says.

They began touring Television, their third and final album, in Glasgow, moving through the United Kingdom, Europe and around Australia. Now they're bringing it to an end at home, among familiar-faced fans who have seen them dozens of times through the years. “It’s been nearly four years to the day since we released our debut album, In A Restless House,” says Bourke as they dive into the title track to commemorate the occasion.

It’s clear from tonight’s sold-out show that they’ve gathered a huge fan base over the years and it’s a bittersweet feeling for the audience, who are excited to hear the new tunes but also sad knowing it’s the last time they’ll get to share in City Calm Down's music like this. During their years as a band, they’ve experimented with different sounds, but their most recent release is a significant change, with a fresh, lighter and upbeat pop-rock vibe that’s stripped down with layers of different instruments to get us grooving along. They kick it up a notch with Distraction/Losing Sleep. Bourke unleashes his commanding baritone vocals as he hangs from the rafters on the edge of the low stage ceiling above the mosh pit. He’s backed by a dramatic soundscape from their seven-piece live band on the stage tonight.

They throw it to the audience to sing a few choruses of Son and the crowd response is so big that it’s difficult to top as Bourke continues singing through his microphone. The support from their audience fires City Calm Down up for an unforgettable send-off. They reminisce about writing Pleasure & Consequence about ten years ago, coming up with the song in Bourke’s bedroom and then rehearsing it relentlessly. Huge strobe lights add an extra spark to this crowd-favourite track tonight. They slow it down a bit for Joan, I’m Disappearing and throw in a few new tracks including Stuck (On The Eastern) and Weatherman.

In lieu of an encore, they decide to go for a big finale and cue the audience to drop down and jump back up before the last chorus of In This Modern Land. We join them for one last singalong, mosh, crowd surf and applause as they take their final bow.