I Heart Hiroshima
The Zoo, Brisbane
October 16th 2009
Brisbane has a lot of praise-worthy bands at the moment, but there’s only a few that still considered something of a pride and joy. Powderfinger are no longer one of them, but I Heart Hiroshima are. They were one to spring from a bumper crop of local alternative pop bands mid-decade, they still live here, still work here, and still have an entirely unpretentious air about them. All of this helps, but none of it would matter if they didn’t have the songs and live show to back it up.
They do, and tonight displays the strengths of both.
Support band
We All Want To is the latest project featuring Screamfeeder/solo artist/workaholic Tim Steward. The title track from their EP, ‘Back To The Car,’ opens the set, with Steward’s distinct vocals and melodic sensibility still turning heads after nearly two decades. Despite a strong start, by half way the set starts blurring into a bit of homogenous blur, and energy seems low in both band and audience alike. The introduction of a few slow burners near the end, however, sees the venue perk up somewhat and they end on a floor-tom thundering high.
The lights dim and Tom Waits’ spoken word ‘What’s He Building In There’ creates an oddly eerie atmosphere for a band that don’t necessarily trade on mystery or suspense in their music.
I Heart Hiroshima is a band that have never seemed uncomfortable on stage. Tonight, launching their anticipated sophomore effort
The Rip, they embrace the crowd’s enthusiasm intermingled with more of that flippant bravado that we’re used to. The set draws mainly from new material, which is a wise move given the ubiquity of so many songs off their debut in these parts. (Could’ve done with ‘Captain to Captain’ but oh well). Had they not continually introduced songs as new ones, an IHH virgin would have struggled to tell them apart – mainly because the audience give as much energy and enthusiasm to songs not heard before as previous singles. Such is the result of instantly digestible (but not disposable) pop music. Yes,
The Rip is no significant departure for I Heart Hiroshima, but the more outwardly emotional songs do add an effective dynamic to their house party-like stage show.
Co-guitarist/singer Matt Sommers sounds like he’s having an anxiety attack with every gloriously affected syllable that leaves his lips, while drummer and main vocalist Susie Patten shifts between a suitably softer delivery at times and a similarly manic one. Most reserved member – and cover artist extraordinaire – Cameron Hawes, busies himself with his guitar and keys stage right, providing some ice to the Patten/Somers fire.
Latest single ‘Shakeytown’ appears third and their cover of The Chills’ ‘Pink Frost’ also makes an appearance. The main set is closed by old favourites ‘London in Love,’ ‘Punks,’ and
The Rip closer ‘Listen.’ After sixty minutes of a relatively consistent sonic palette, it’s testament to the songs themselves that the audience are still gagging for more, which the band promptly deliver after taking an audience request.
The likes of An Horse and Yves Klein Blue might’ve appeared on Letterman and festival stages respectively this year, but I Heart Hiroshima have again upped the bar for Brisbane pop music.
Matt Hickey