Live Review: City Calm Down w/ Ali Barter & SKIES @ The Gov

Oh, Adelaide. The city of churches. The festival state (well only in March tbh), the gateway to great sprawling fields of wine (y’know, that sophisticated older cousin of goon – it comes in bottles), and last but certainly not least one of the best cities in Australia to play a gig.

No, it’s true! The term ‘Australian tour’ is pretty loose nowadays. Usually what they mean to say is “East coast Australia and we might go to Brisbane if you’re lucky” tour. Perhaps that’s why Adelaide crowds are just so amazing, they truly value a good gig. It’s probably just because they drink Coopers though…

Nevertheless, when City Calm Down returned to Adelaide for their current national tour it was nothing short of a certified ripper. Honestly, no one was sure who was more stoked – the crowd or the lads on stage. In fact it was a history defining gig for the Melbourne 4-piece, they performed their first ever encore! But more about that later…

The night started off with local act SKIES as they brought their grungy electronic indie sound to the ears of The Gov dwellers. Their swishy and swoon-worthy track Speed Boy was a real highlight as punters milled around and basked in the glory that is a Cooper’s pale ale.

“With Jack Bourke’s booming baritone and emotional flare to rival that of Morrisey himself, you couldn’t help but be pulled in.”

Taking to the stage next was rising mover and shaker Ali Barter. If there’s one thing you can take away from seeing Ali Barter live is she’s disgustingly cool. How can you not be though if you’re mixing lo-fi California-esque guitar licks with the vocal stylings of Metric and the grungy weight of Hole?

Girlie Bits, her latest single is a freak of a song, a seriously boppy track which also happens to be about the sh*ttiness of gender norms and the patriarchy. It’s danceable activism, how can you not love it? Not to mention, Barter did say Adelaide crowds are pretty much the best crowds in Australia. And whatever Barter says goes!

When City Calm Down finally took to the stage the crowd was at capacity, something the Melbournian 4-piece seemed to be quite smitten by. They delivered a cracker of a set, bursting with energy. Powering through a good chunk of their debut album ‘In A Restless House’, the band got feet moving throughout the entire venue. With Jack Bourke’s booming baritone and emotional flare to rival that of Morrisey himself, you couldn’t help but be pulled in.

Dominant tracks Son, Rabbit Run, Your Fix, and Border On Control got the entire crowd shimmying. With limbs every which way and a frenzied feeling in the air, there just was not time for the gloomy sway and head bobs that so often penetrate gigs.

“Apparently in the time they had finished to the time they decided to go back out on stage City Calm Down had lost their horn players, as it turns out they were having a durry.”

Given City Calm Down’s obvious love of 80s post punk, it was a welcome surprise when the first few twangy guitar notes of The Smiths This Charming Man reverberated throughout the venue. Basically, everyone collectively lost their sh*t. There’s just something really special about hearing a good few hundred people screaming “PUNCTURED BICYCLE ON A HILLSIDDDDE DESOOOLLATTTEEE” in their best Morrissey impression. Also, if City Calm Down ever wanted to start a ‘Smiths cover band they totally could. They goddamn well nailed it!

The best part about the whole thing though was probably the fact City Calm Down seemed so genuinely stoked about the entire gig. There was no playing cool or pretence about them. Sure, they’re from Melbourne, dress in black, and have probably listened to more Joy Division than they dare say – but man were they happy to be there!

It’s good to see that integrity from a band which has collected so much success over the past year. With a massive show at Splendour, two sold out tours and a set at upcoming Falls Festival, City Calm Down has certainly gained a lot of traction. It’s well deserved too! Their live show is a whole heap of fun and a real display of talent. Not to mention they have a horn section (a small horn section, but a horn section nonetheless). Have you ever been to a live show with a horn section and not danced your patootie off? Neither have we…

Even after the show was over the crowd oozed with an overwhelming amount of enthusiasm…almost a scary amount (seriously, at one point of the show Jack Bourke was half pulled off stage). The air was so thick with adoration that the guys came back on for an impromptu encore. It did take the audience a good while of yelling “one more song”, stomping around, and clinking glasses of Coopers though. Apparently in the time they had finished to the time they decided to go back out on stage City Calm Down had lost their horn players, as it turns out they were having a durry.

Eventually, with horn bells high and red shows figuratively on, they launched into a spirited rendition of David Bowie’s Let’s Dance. A real crowd pleaser, this was a magnificent way to end the night and totally captured the essence of the evening. All in all, a ripper of a show City Calm Down. Adelaide raises their Coopers!

Read our recent interview with City Calm Down HERE and our SITG ’16 Live Review HERE

City Calm Down National Tour

FRI 16 SEP
Capitol, Perth
SAT 17 SEP
Max Watts, Brisbane
FRI 23 SEP
Metro Theatre, Sydney
SAT 24 SEP
Waves, Wollongong
FRI 30 SEP
170 Russell, Melbourne

Get Tickets HERE