Live Review: Mini Mansions, Big White

Dulwich Hill five-piece Big White opened the evening with their delightful mix of pub rock, cool synth and surf riffs. The opening track showcased a highly accentuated Aussie twang, refreshing to hear when so many young indie bands favour British psychedelic pop or '70s grooves over good Aussie pub grub. It was soon replaced by the equally strong You Know I Love You, an upbeat number led by Cody Munro Moore. The interchangeable vocals by the three guitarists were impressive throughout their set and kept the crowd entertained. Tracks including Dinosaur City and debut single You Know I Love You from their album Teenage Dreams had serious '80s sing-along vibes.

Los Angeles-based Mini Mansions have swapped their '60s Beach Boys come Beatles surrealism for some darker emotion, straddling the line between happy and heart-on-sleeve. Their set heavily comprised tracks from their 2015 release The Great Pretenders, with the opening track Freakout! setting the tone for their headline performance consisting of psych-pop numbers woven with deceptively dark lyrics. Their electro-pop, bass-heavy sound suited the venue perfectly and drew out an eager Thursday night crowd. Standouts included the smoothly provocative track Creeps which carried into Mirror Mountain, a high energy number featuring an enjoyable extended instrumental wall of distortion. A majestic cover of Blondie's Heart Of Glass soon followed, which brought the crowd back to earth. Their striking stage presence was complemented by their dapper suits, with each of the three band members subtly colour coordinating with their instruments. It was great to see the free-standing drum kit keeping musical all-rounder Michael Shuman (Queens Of The Stone Age) in front and among the ruckus. Mini Mansions finished their set with Vertigo, a track featuring Alex Turner from Arctic Monkeys. It was a synth-filled dream, executed with lyrical precision and harmonious cohesiveness.