Bridezilla at The Annandale Hotel

BRIDEZILLA
FIREKITES
UNDER LIGHTS
HUNTER DIENNA
The Annandale Hotel, Annandale
14/06/08

Brother and sister duo Hunter Dienna opened the evening with one guitar, occasional accordion and duel vocals, with guitarist Tom Waite’s low-down growl being complimented perfectly by sister Xanthe’s (below) softer tone. This minimalist sound, combined with intelligent, dark lyrics, created an enchanting atmosphere. Hopefully we will be seeing plenty more of this unconventional, intriguing two-piece in the future.

Also boasting two vocalists, Under Lights displayed straightforward, strident rock with enough interesting parts and energy to keep the audience entertained. Next, Newcastle’s Firekites offered largely instrumental, acoustic songs. While their set suffered from the absence of keyboardist/vocalist Jane Tyrell, it was certainly hypnotic and when the guitars, drums, violin and vocal all came together the result was something quite lovely.

 

Having frequented the Annandale stage on numerous occasions over the past couple of years, the venue must feel like a second home to Bridezilla. After setting tongues wagging as a precociously talented bunch of schoolkids supporting longer-established acts, they worked their way up the gigging ladder until, on this cold June evening in 2008, the time had come to discover whether they were ready to step up to the mantle of being headliners themselves.

A busy room greeted the five teenagers, who looked typically elegant and showed an ever-growing confidence and poise as they performed tracks from their eponymous EP, of which Brown Paper Bag and the brooding, epic Chainwork were especially well-received.

Bridezilla’s continuing musical growth was illustrated by the fact that new song, If I Had A Child, saw violinist Daisy Tulley play guitar (below) and take over singing duties, while the ever-entrancing Holiday Sidewinder harmonised and regular lead guitarist Pia May played autoharp. The group then returned to their more familiar instruments, with Tulley prowling atop the bar and weaving violin parts around Millie Hall’s lung-busting saxophone solos and Sidewinder’s powerful vocal.



Live favourite St. Francine ended the set in a thrilling crescendo of noise and commotion. Considering how these five musicians have such a command over their instruments and the audience, it is hard to believe that they are still so young (remember, two of them are still doing their HSC). The rapturous reception that the quintet received as they encored with future single, Forth and Fine, proved quite emphatically that Bridezilla are indeed ready to be headliners in their own right.

Global Young Leaders fundraising show

I attended the Global Young Leaders fundraising show at Sydney’s Annandale Hotel last Sunday:Bridezilla frontwoman Holiday Sidewinder is heading to America for the Global Young Leaders conference in June, so to raise funds she put on a show with a little help from her friends and family. First up were brother and sister duo Hunter Dienna, whose minimalist sound required just one guitar and the occasional accordion, yet was still dizzyingly atmospheric and gothic. Thomas' low-down growl juxtaposed nicely with Xanthe’s softer vocal, landing them not a million miles from the collaboration between Mark Lanigan and Isabel Campbell.

The ever-captivating Loene Carmen (below) was next up, and she was backed by a supergroup comprised of some familiar faces as she rattled though songs from her latest long-player, Rock n Roll Tears. “So you fucked it up,” she snarled in that amazing vocal at the start of Don’t Let Her Slip Away, which was indicative of the equally vitriolic and seductive nature of her barnstorming set.Even by the high standards they have set for themselves, Bridezilla, frankly, were magnificent. Oozing confidence and sass, they were watched by the largest crowd of the day. Holiday’s presence as frontwoman grows increasingly strong with each gig, while her fellow band members also looked like they were born to be on stage. In front of drummer Josh – who looked especially suave in his suit - Pia and Millie were assured and cool, while Daisy, always the firebomb to Holiday’s left, prowled atop the bar.

The Scare polished things of with a riotous display which had the fans at the front going nuts, as vocalist Kiss Reid - animated, mesmerising and a bit terrifying – expelled a throat-busting vocal. Having been joined for one song by the evening’s hostess, they brought proceedings to a close with Bats! Bats! Bats! which saw Kiss roam around the room and stagedive. No-one could accuse him of not giving it his all.

Holiday dashed onto stage at the end to thank everyone for coming. The fact that she did so amid chants of her name and requests for more songs suggests that the day was a success. Ten bucks well spent.