Fresh off the back of some hectic touring and recording, The Laurels emerged onto the Lansdowne stage to launch their latest single “Sound System”. Tonight they were joined by The Dandelion, Dress Thèque and Wahoo Ghost.

More photos shot for AMNplify are here.

Wahoo Ghost

Sydney based trio, Wahoo Ghost opened up the night with a bit of atmosphere to help us settle into the night. With two guitars and drums, their slow, seductive sound was a cruise through the USA mid-west like a high plains drifter.

There was lots of tremolo and reverb saturated guitar, pickin slow, deliberate, blues like a mofo through the set; with an almost laconic percussion driving us down that highway. Behind the wheel, twangy vocals showed us the scene from the windscreen. But this was no standard, bluesy, country road trip – there was menace behind it all, hiding in those deep, dark notes that taunted the ears like sensual whispers. Way inside was the promise and a taunt of forbidden pleasure with a throaty guitar crunch, used sparingly, but just enough to see some bared teeth.

Check out their offerings here.

Dress Theque

A change up in the sound sees 4 lads with a Mancunian bent stepping up to the plate. There were drums, bass, guitar, keys and a computer to pump out a set that was part rock, part DJ set, but with a completely infectious beat.

Wearing a 90’s Manchester sound on their sleeve, there was no bones about what these guys were trying to do, and they did it well. Anyone living through the 90’s immediately recognised the beats and tunes. But Dress Theque are not a cover band, they just threw all the Madchester rivalries into one big cooking pot and bubbled away at creating a sound that picks all the best bits.

There were lots of shuffling drum and bass beats, with a groove that defied you to stand still. A rhythm guitar working in with sweeping keyboard fills, and that sing song vocal story just put in place to guide you through.

Get transported to Manchester and sample their sound here.

The Dandelion

Yet another change of pace tonight, with The Dandelion making an appearance off the back of a massive European tour. This Sydney 4 piece brings on the sounds of the sixties garage psych scene with a line-up of drums, bass, guitar and keys; but mixing it up by adding a bit of theremin and flute.

The Dandelion did what they do best, sixties psychedelia, garage surf sounds, all woven together with a hypnotic middle eastern, mystic beat and sultry vocals to weave it all into a spell.

The set was a heady, infectious groove that you couldn’t help but sway to; transported into a hazy, incense fuelled, opium den of sound.

Check out their latest release here.

The Laurels

The lights switched to doomsday red to set the dystopian scene that can only signal the start of a heavy effects driven Laurels show.

Sporting a new line-up, this four piece of drums, bass, guitars, moog synth and of course, truckloads of effects; have been on the scene for a few years now and are slowly creating albums, releasing tidbits as they are created, from their do it yourself studio.

They launched into some older classics to warm up the room with an onslaught of fuzz, effects and drone before weaving into their new works to wash over the swaying crowd. Even though eyes were planted firmly on the floor in a classic shoegaze stance, there seemed to be a new vitality to the band, with more movement on stage that has been seen from a Laurels gig in years. Maybe it was the new line-up, maybe it was the excitement of some new tracks – but it looked as if they were having fun – even in this dystopian world.

Checkout their new release “Sound System” here.

Plenty of groove, psych and sonic drone – but no Brown Notes tonight.