Roundhouse opened last night with Teenage Joans, the Kaurna/Adelaide two-piece, Cahli Blakers on guitar and Tahlia Borg behind the kit. They’ve been a darling of the Australian alt scene for a few years now and there’s a reason for that. There were a few moments between songs where the energy dipped, but coupled with new releases and mid-tour, none of that really mattered. Their spirits were genuinely high and they found their footing. They’re doing UK dates in May this year, so keep an eye out.
Biffy Clyro walked out and quickly reminded us what a band that has already won the room looks like. Simon Neil, face stuck in an almost permanent menace, riff arriving before any formal introduction, had the crowd surging forward over the barrier. It never really let up after that.
James Johnston was M.I.A, but touring musicians Mike Vennart, Richard “Gambler” Ingram (British Theatre) and Naomi Macleod were a genuine treat to watch alongside drummer Ben Johnston. The rhythm section is what gives Simon the freedom to be, because the ground beneath him never moves, and that held just as true last night.
Biffy have been at it long enough now that the crowd contains multitudes, OG devotees reaching back for the pre-’Puzzle’ stuff, newer arrivals happiest somewhere in the 2009 ‘Only Revolutions’ era. Roundhouse suits that kind of night well, not so big that the intimacy disappears, not so small that a band of this size looks stuck in place.
