Tonight is Fuzzface Presents at the Hideaway Bar in Enmore. An offering of local artists with a fuzzy attitude. I managed to catch Legendary Sea Apes and Syntax Error tonight

Legendary Sea Apes

A bit of a delay tonight with an MIA bass player, so plenty of time to mess about with setting up right for these guys. Once he gets there he plugs in and all is right with the world – the spooky groove starts.

Lots of spooky synth loops with what is initially an R n B feel but soon transcending into some weird jazz. The groovy undertones drive the songs with a little bit of edgy guitar that jumps in and out when you least expect it.

Songs have an electronic feel and sporadic vocals over the tunes seem to tell stories of suburban youth. I’m not sure if the brown note was part of the weaved web of groove, but there was such a sporadic feel to the tunes that maybe it depends on the night.

Syntax Error

The set up for this band is impressive. A theremin sits in one corner and below it enough guitar effects pedals to launch a mission to mars.  In a very quick turnaround, the band took to the stage and the atmosphere began.

There are heavily effects ridden guitars laid over a steady engine room of bass and drums which waxes and wanes through epic numbers.  No three minute thrashed out pop songs here. All the tunes take you through a journey, at first, softly weaving you through a mist and then building to a rocketing crescendo that wails and pushes you to the edge of your mind and then tapers off leaving you to collect pieces of your scattered brain on the floor.

When the theremin comes into play, a whole other door opens up, enhanced by a new theatre in controlling the instrument (which is expertly done). This is added to by even more outrageous guitars pushing amps into controlled tonal feedback, all adding the maelstrom that whirls around the room.

There was definitely a brown note in amongst all the chaos, but it was so robbed of its purpose by everything else that was going on that it was just a taunt.