Following an almost 2 year wait, Rolling Blackouts C.F. finally made their way down to Hobart to deliver their promised duo of shows at Altar. A 5.30 p.m. “matinee” show was played to a near-capacity crowd, and was soon followed by a later, sold-out 9.00 p.m. show.
The 3 pronged guitar/vocal attack of Fran Keaney (acoustic), Joe White (lead) and Tom Russo (rhythm) from this Melbourne outfit provides great shades of light and dark while providing a melodic soundscape of jangling, effervescent guitar which permeated the room with its crisp, clean tones. Motorik drumming from Marcel Tussie and frenetically snakey basslines from Tom Russo’s brother, Joe underpinned the sound in the most gloriously delicious of ways, and ensured that the gathered crowd were enthralled with the infectious groove that this indie pop-rock band have become so well known for.
The atmosphere was charged with the band’s electricity from the beginning of first song, Beautiful Steven right through to the final crescendo of French Press, their last song. In between, the band played all of its well-known favourites ranging from the first two EP’s, Talk Tight and The French Press through to songs such as Talking Straight, Cameo, Cool Change and Cars In Space from the albums, Hope Downs and Sideways To New Italy. The crowd were also treated to one of the recently released tracks, The Way It Shatters, from forthcoming LP, Endless Rooms, which is due out on May 6th via Sub Pop Records.
With the new songs now becoming firmly entrenched in their live performances, Rolling Blackouts C.F. are showing no signs of slowing down or allowing themselves to drop off of the radar.
Feature Photograph: Andrew Fuller/fullonrockphotography
