The Preatures @ Capitol
w/ Polish Club, Boat Show
Saturday, September 23, 2017
Freezing wet conditions meant nothing when Sydney’s Preatures hit the hallowed Capitol stage in aid of their polarising new album Girlhood. It was the perfect backdrop for some glamorous indie rock and roll.
Starting the night was Perth industry darlings Boat Show, playing tongue-in-cheek garage rock as the room steadily filled up. The songs came fun, short and sharp as they rolled about the stage having a whale of a time – only snag was it all looked a little too un-serious. Not to mention the ample C-Bombs dropped like affable pleasantries.
Main support, fellow Sydneysiders Polish Club, tore the roof off with their focused songwriting and sound evocative of the indie rock golden years of 2001-2007. Being a two-piece, if there were any limitations to what they could achieve in the live setting no one cared and all were whipped up by their conviction and frantic pace – February’s single Come Party was probably the set’s summit.
At 21:30 right on the bell The Preatures strode out with frontwoman Izzi Manfredi sporting a new haircut that the punter next to me said “looks a bit George Harrison”. They launched into last year’s single I Know A Girl and while the sound was perfect – astoundingly, they sound so much better live than on latest album Girlhood – there was something going on technically behind the scenes causing a bit of apprehension for Manfredi. Nevertheless she soldiered on like a pro and when she told the audience mid-set she was struggling with the flu it was indeed news to us.
Girlhood tracks mixed perfectly with debut album Blue Planet Eyes numbers and a set highlight was the anthemic Ordinary. New track Magick, a personal favourite of the band’s, burned with emotion while Yanada and Somebody’s Talking found a lively crowd response. I Like You gave us an insight into the relationship between Izzi and Jack Moffett with a masterful vocal performance despite her illness.
In between songs the crowd would continue their uncouth request for the band to indulge in a swift “Shoe-y” – the Daniel Riccardo indebted act of sculling beer from the nearest item of footwear. Izzi showed class by artfully, yet assertively refusing, however bassist Tom Champion succumbed much to the glee of the front rows.
After coming back out for the encore Manfredi delivered a sober piano ballad before failing to convince they crowd they weren’t going to play Is This How You Feel? Already a bona-fide Australian classic the band was on fire with the skill of guitarist Moffett particularly noticeable, essentially playing two guitar parts at once since the departure of former member Gideon Bensen.
This wasn’t The Preatures at their best but it was still a mile above the competition. The total ease with which Manfredi flirts with the crowd, the way her every move means something, the way the band is in perfect sync is something that can’t be taught. In a word: effortlessness.
BEN PATTISON
Photos by Paul Dowd Photography
