Live Review: Sebadoh, Blank Realm, Major Leagues

The Zoo is surprisingly bare as local indie quartet Major Leagues open with the sprightly Silver Tides, the lack of punters not diminishing their commitment or enjoyment one iota. Their upbeat indie is growing increasingly assured, and they finish an all-too-brief appearance with the noisy crescendo of Feel adding some muscle to their innate melody.

Fellow Brisbanians Blank Realm are next, the ever-psyched Sarah Spencer jumping around like a dervish from the get-go, taking the time sporadically to belt chaotically at her keyboard and add heft to her brother Daniel's vocals, who's holding court from behind the drumkit. The restrained groove of Reach You On The Phone leads into a creepy and frenetic rendition of Acting Strange which melts into complete discord before segueing gently into the spiraling Bulldozer Love. They finish with the evergreen Falling Down The Stairs, the brevity of their set ruling out any of the usual role-swapping, but still allowing them time to hammer home the current awesomeness of local rock'n'roll.

US indie legends Sebadoh are back armed with a new album for the first time since their reunion, co-frontman Lou Barlow explaining that he has bronchitis in a lengthy spoken introduction before they belt into staple Magnet's Coil with an energy that quickly allays any fears that this may disrupt proceedings. The shaggy-haired Barlow battles on until drummer Bob D'Amico loses a snare a few songs in, the singer quickly compensating with a stripped-back and haunting take on Love You Here and getting halfway through Too Pure in a similar vein before the percussion returns and adds welcome swing to the gorgeous number. Having proved their versatility in this fashion it's time for their first instrument swap: the band's other vocalist Jason Lowenstein upgrades from four strings to six while Barlow moves to bass duties, and the mood shifts into overdrive as they belt through Not Too Amused, Mind Reader and Shit Soup as if their lives depend on it. In this regard Sebadoh are basically like two disparate bands and the dichotomy serves them so well only because both incarnations are so freaking good, Barlow taking the reins again for the fizzling new State Of Mine and the classic Beauty Of The Ride before offering a mellow, languid take on Soul And Fire.  The small-ish crowd also seems remarkably vacant but the band battle on admirably even though visibly bemused at times, Lowenstein returning to guitar to offer My Drugs, Drag Down and I Will before Barlow completes proceedings with I Will, On Fire and a rollicking Brand New Love. A somewhat laissez-faire performance because of the small turnout, but one that's fortunately no less enjoyable than usual.