Live Review: Fierce Mild @ The Bearded Lady

Melbourne four-piece Fierce Mild recently hit Brisbane on their ‘In Search of Lost Time’ tour to celebrate the release of their most recent single Test You. Bringing together elements of post-rock, shoe gaze, and psychedelia, the group brought their atmospheric visual show to The Bearded Lady and our reviewer Savannah van der Niet was there in the midst of it all:

The first band to play In Caves are a smooth sailing entry into the night. Their set consists of laced instrumental progressions and makes for an interesting performance and positive starting support.

Post Dream kick off with an electric start to their set. Few bands fully utilize the keyboard as a point of interest, but these guys have written each part thoughtfully. This young band is fresh to the scene and has already made a noticeable impression at both of their shows so far.

Wolver are a local four piece, confidently navigating the performing space. They have a sound much bigger than the four walls of the small room at The Bearded Lady, but fill the room nonetheless. Front man Hamish Hunter confidently eases between softer and stronger vocals – the whole band demonstrating skill and ease through the set.

The lights turn off when Fierce Mild enter the stage. The room is instead flooded with projected visuals. The visuals are works by Stephanie Peters that combine with, and compliment, the thoughtful composition of their music. Unfortunately, technical difficulties mean the projections are hard to distinguish, though still adding an extra element to the set. Their music is ominous, filled with stabs and embellishments. There is no direct interaction with the audience, though not a bad thing – the space between differentiates them as performers as opposed to just another live band. The audience dances energetically.

Front man Troy Rainbow delivers clean, steady vocals, and when he screams it’s the unobtrusive, powerful kind. The band isn’t afraid of space – filling it with dark layers of guitar, notes that screech and blend from one to another, and drums that fill in the rest. In the last track, Rainbow falls to the floor and meshes the reverb into different sounds, before concluding the set by stepping forward to the mic, and quietly, ‘thank you.