Bridezilla, Ghostwood and Mercy Arms live review

MERCY ARMS
THE GHOSTS
BRIDEZILLA
Candy’s Apartment, Kings Cross, 28/10/06

If ever a gig was destined to make a reviewer feel old and talentless, it was this one, boasting, as it did, three of the hottest local acts around right now, all of which are made of up frighteningly young, cool and talented individuals.

Purveyors of kooky alternative/folk noise, Bridezilla hit the stage early and displayed a sass and confidence that belied their tender years. During their short set, the collection of teenage girls (and boy drummer) offered a beguiled audience violin and saxophone solos, robot dancing, and, most importantly, some killer tunes. In the wonderfully named and (literally) too-cool-for-school vocalist Holiday, they have a real star in the making. It is easy to imagine her being the subject of many a swoon amongst the floppy-fringed teenage indie fraternity, as she sashayed her way around the stage, belting out a vocal that fell somewhere between Bjork and Regina Spektor.


Fittingly, on this Halloween-themed night, it was The Ghosts [now Ghostwood] that really stole the show. From the second they stepped onto the stage in suitably ghoulish attire, they tore into galloping indie that grabbed the audience by the throat and dragged it bleeding and awestruck through an exhilarating set that will certainly ensure we will be hearing a lot more from these four young lads in the future. Judging by the way the throng of sweaty masses were practically bouncing off the walls to their infectious tunes, that is a very welcome prospect indeed.There isn’t much to say about Mercy Arms that hasn’t already been said. Having ripped their way through the local scene, these are guys that know they’re good, and they took to the stage with the kind of swagger that only a band that have had record companies tripping over themselves and that have just supported The Strokes can. It’s fairly obvious to see why they have caused such a stir, as they bashed out a polished wall of ethereal noise that gave a nod to eighties bands such as Joy Division.

It’s just possible that this evening may just go down in history as one of those times where people will say: “I was there the night when Bridezilla, The Ghosts and Mercy Arms played at Candy’s.” After all, on tonight’s showing, every one of these obscenely young and exciting acts has the potential to go on and fill venues far, far bigger than this.