Hockey Dad @ The Rosemount
w/ Tiny Little Houses
Sunday, September 23, 2018
Raw surf rock hit the Rosemount last Sunday evening as Hockey Dad delivered an absolute belter of a set to their sell out crowd. The boys out of Wollongong churned out tune after tune in a high-energy performance that had heads banging and ears ringing.
Tiny Little Houses heated up the room with the beauty that is their angular indie rock. Their distinctive sound enticed just the right atmosphere in the room as they rocked out on stage. With songs expressing the disappointment of becoming an adult blending in with their 90s look and sound the band demanded your undivided attention throughout their show. Bangers from the band’s 2018 LP Idiot Proverbs rolled out with Garbage Bin getting heads bobbing and bodies swaying in the warm up to Hockey Dad.
Lead vocalist Caleb Karvountzis’s uniquely strong vocals were a distinct highlight of the set as he had the crowd screaming along with him to “I like to wear my short hair down”. Between the glowing multi-coloured spotlights the band performed exceptionally well as a unit and did well to engage the crowd, and with their gracious thank you’s and friendly banter they were a pure joy to experience.
Jumping onto stage as screams erupted from the front row the Hockey Dad duo launched into their epic show. There were moments that descended into tedium of crashing guitar riffs and drum pounding, and after Tiny Little Houses similar style it got a bit much at points – but it was admittedly a uniquely excitable frenzy. The boys played a plethora of tracks from their first EP right through to their powerhouse 2018 album Blend Inn.
Rumbling through track after track, tunes such as Join the Club and Homely Feeling were what really got the crowd pumping. It seemed even when the songs were unfamiliar to the audience, they remained absorbed in the atmosphere that the band naturally drew. They didn’t chat much between tracks, rather remained focussed on keeping the momentum flowing through the energy filled room.
I Need A Woman was a personal favourite of the night, as it had Billy’s pleasantly pure vocals on full display. The band have an on stage chemistry and energy that lifted the night to new heights. They nailed every beat and departed the stage early only to be called back with chants of “one more song!” to which they responded with a pounding close to a memorable evening.
SARAH DAY
Photos by Dan Hildebrand
