Live Review: Borns, Moses Gunn Collective

Northcote Social Club's bandroom quickly transforms from a quiet haven into a mosh pit as soon as Moses Gunn Collective begin. The blues/rock-with-a-psych-twist group drench the room in reverb; notably, bass player Alex Mitchell smoothly walks the band through till their final banger Shalala.

As they finish, the lights change, and not even a full song is played over the speakers when Michigan-born Garrett Borns enters with his band. Immediately, donning a tight black leather jacket and long thick curls, Borns and his band punch out Dug My Heart. The synth drags your ears back and forth, like if the ocean had a sound as waves are pulled in and out.

Borns then turns to grab his electric guitar and, as he swings it over his head and smoothly back to the microphone, the band drops straight into 10,000 Emerald Pools, one of the big numbers of his 2015 debut album, Dopamine.

Borns' falsetto kicks off the third track, and his incredibly talented drummer swaps her kit for pads, hitting up the electronic drums for Past Lives. Then his vivid keyboardist chimes in, nailing the harmonies throughout the song. He then stops to absorb the atmosphere and the crowd, who are blanketed in light. "Melbourne, a dream come true. I like to dream, but this is a real one. And you're all so blue."

Borns alternates between the tambourine and slide guitar throughout their next few tracks, and a man in the crowd says, "This is my favourite song," as Borns begins to play The Emotion. The deep bass, tight drums track features a sample of coyotes barking at Hollywood Hills. Although their howls were scary, somehow that managed to inspire this song.

Borns then goes on to mention this is his first time in Australia, and the crowd makes sure they feel welcome for their next few tracks. Finally, they whip out the awaited Electric Love, also from 2015's Dopamine. With harmonies all played out and a crowd that clearly can't be exhausted, they leave the stage. Then, after being begged for an encore, jolting chords from the keyboard start up, and everyone clicks. They're playing the Elton John 1973 classic Benny & The Jets. They finally wrap up the night with a song from their 2014 EP Candy, Seeing Stars. The band leave the stage, the room lights up, the stage goes dark and we're left with an energy washing around the room, leaving everyone in a daze.