Live Review: Naked Bodies, Dan Parsons, Congratualtions Everybody

Opening with She Never Was My Friend local boys Congratulations Everybody keep the chilling cool of a Melbourne night at bay with their warm, sunset-infused rock. Nonchalant in both style and sound, rich resonating bass and the southern soul of lap slide guitar drives their interplay between breezy country and whirling post-rock. Yes, I've Found is a sublime showcase of that duality with their three-pronged guitar attack jumping from tranquil to explosive. Body Of Water sounds like every haunting memory of lost love, Congratulations Everybody crafting something that finds the strange little space where good and bad memories all blur into one.

Melbourne-based Dan Parsons betrays his Brisbane background on opener Silver City Highway. The track's sunny vibe and slide guitar are only just topped in the euphoria stakes by Parsons and guest bassist James O'Brien's saccharin-sweet harmonies in the chorus. On The Way Downtown is foot-tapping, feel-good, food for your soul type stuff. There's a rich twang at the top of Parsons' range, impressively reminiscent of Jackson Browne in full flight. Everybody's Waiting demonstrates a much darker sound from the rest of the set. It still retains the Parsons trademark however, which is the mark of a true artist.

Tonight is the first show in a month-long Thursday night residency at this venue for Naked Bodies. Will Coyote draws the eye immediately, starting with some spine-chilling violin playing. It adds a morose air to Naked Bodies' misanthropic country songs. The band's stage presence is languid although their playing is precise. Stabs of noise-rock are dispersed through atmospheric psychedelia. The breadth of Naked Bodies' work is dizzying and impressive – they even manage a twisted and tormented ska sound at times. This is all achieved at breakneck speed and Quang Dinh's vocals get lost in the mix at times as a result. Monkey Blues has a cinematic feel, pistols at ten paces stuff, like the catastrophic bloody end of a Quentin Tarantino flick. Breakdown is a two-minute smack-down blast of proto-punk. The circus is well and truly in town. Catch these terrifically deranged ringleaders while you can.