Love Connection and The Parking Lot Experiments (supporting John Steel Singers and Jonathan Boulet at Corner Hotel)

With last night’s line-up I would have gone for the support acts alone. Consequently, as this blog is focusing on Melbourne music, I will be reviewing the support acts.

The Parking Lot Experiments were filling an annoyingly early slot. Due to my incompetence with directions I arrived mid way through their set. The Parking Lot Experiments have been doing some cool things. I first saw them over a year ago, and have ever since been enchanted by this band. They have an incredible collaborative sound, which is mesmerising to listen to. It becomes a genuine surprise that such hairy guys can produce such beautiful music. Their set at the corner was vibrant, although unappreciated (in my opinion) by the crowd. I feel as though the crowd which was only there to see the one song they’d heard from John Steel Singers, wasn’t quite prepared for the intensity of The Parking Lot Experiments. In some pathetic, selfish way, I really hope they never are. The guys out of Love Connection described them as an ‘early Metellica’, they really nailed it.

Speaking of beautiful music, Love Connection is always guaranteed to deliver an incredible show. Their experimental and unique goodness, always delivers the uttermost in indie pretentiousness. Once again the crowd became an issue during this set. Screaming out ‘boring’ during the set of one of Melbourne’s finest up and coming acts is never going to go down well in my books. If you don’t want to see the support acts, don’t watch them. Love Connection live almost feels inappropriate without a marijuana induced haze. The wistful dreaming state you’re placed in while seeing them live is incredible. Although, I would consider Love Connection a band that comes with an acquired taste, something this experimental certainly isn’t going to be for everyone, but if you do ever feel as though your up for it, I couldn‘t recommend them highly enough.

Scarecrow Blonde EP Launch

I wasn’t planning on reviewing this band when I went to their EP launch at Bendigo Hotel last night. Months ago I had promised a friend I would go, I wasn’t expecting a whole lot from them.

Obviously, due to my writing this review my mind, was changed. Almost a year ago I’d seen Scarecrow Blonde at one of their first few shows at The Birmingham (rip), and didn’t think much of them. A-typical of an underground punk-rock band, a lot of bland noise and predictable lyrics, with the exception of the lead guitarists, whose superior talent overshadowed the rest of the band, and was constantly referenced by his numerous guitar solos.

Their EP launch really displayed the vast changes the band had undergone over the past year. The highly energetic and vibrant performance showed just how much the band had matured since I’d ast seen them, rather than sounding like an attempt at mid 90s Greenday covers, the band had found their own sound. The ‘showy’ guitar solos had also disappeared, and the superior guitar work had been worked into the tracks in a way that did not prove detrimental to the other band members.

With Scarecrow Blonde’s enormous growth over the past year it is hard to not imagine what else they must have ahead of them. Definitely worth checking out.