Gyroscope

It’s the eve of the Ekka public holiday in Brisbane. The town has been descended upon by carnies and show folk and a three-wheeled rock and roll wagon that pulls in to The Arena.

First act to hit the stage is West-Australian outfit Sugar Army. It is hard to hear what these guys are actually playing, their sound coming across as a fight between the crash and bang of rattly drums and tangled mess of guitars. All sense of melody is lost behind this blanket of sound, and visually, these guys aren’t all that engaging either. Sporting a wide-eyed Daniel Sanders lookalike bassist, all the head-coqing and strutting comes across as unnatural, contrived and annoying.

Looking around, I’d say that approximately three quarters of the sold out crowd are wearing Gyroscope tees or hoodies, but as soon as Shihad take the stage, it becomes apparent that Gyroscope aren’t the only drawcard for tonight, and Johnny Toogood and Co. know it. These guys are showmen armed with textbook tricks. They deliver a performance laced with classic rock poses and speaker stack climbing. Halfway through their set begins a game of “Where’s Jonny?” (enter Jack Nicholson) as the front man disappears. The crowd love it, whispering and pointing, and then one big unified gasp as the spotlight hits the Arena’s back balcony. Johnny is revealed, straddling the balcony railing and ready to launch into a lurching guitar solo. Fists are raised as a 30 second break to swap guitars sees the greedy crowd break into an adoring chant, but as Johnny sings All the Same in the final number, I couldn’t agree with him more.

With all the antics pulled by Shihad I almost forget that they aren’t the headlining band and that I am, in fact, here to see Gyroscope. I need both my hands to count the number of times I have seen these guys. They are addictive, and they never disappoint.

Front man Daniel Sanders, complete with fluffy two-toned mullet, has most of his work done for him, as the enthusiastic crowd sing every word of every song. The band seems genuinely stoked with this reaction, dishing out thanks in-between blistering takes of their most loved songs. Older number Doctor Doctor incites frenetic jumping that matches the energy of the four men on stage. New single Australia, which also happens to be the reason for this tour, is received with as much enthusiasm as is past hits Beware Wolf and Safe Forever. Welcome inclusion to the set, Sexy, provides a compelling change of pace, with its Latino-flavoured beat and mysterious feel.

Gyroscope are great entertainers, playing what they know the audience wants to hear. Crowd favourite Fast Girl proves a pleasant surprise when it seamlessly merges into Midnight Oil’s Beds are Burning. The medley works perfectly, the crowd loves it. They love everything about this bands performance tonight.

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