Live Review: Dope Lemon, Golf Alpha Bravo

Bright, flashing lights, smooth tunes and ridiculously good vibes – Dope Lemon’s final Australian show had it all. The venue was jam-packed before the concert had even begun, people evidently eager to get in early as the line carried on all the way up the street. With the whine of feedback and the thud of a kick drum, support act Golf Alpha Bravo kicked things off. Gabriel Winterfield's band oozed surfy vibes with their long hair and baggy shirts. His sound was diverse, ranging from the mellow, laidback Unwind to the slightly heavier, more upbeat Groovin At The Cabin On Moon Break Isle. While Winterfield’s vocals weren’t particularly remarkable, his guitar skills were nothing short of impressive. 

Dope Lemon took to the stage shortly after Golf Alpha Bravo. Dope Lemon is the alias of Angus Stone, known for his music with his sister Julia. Stone was accompanied by a four-piece band, consisting of a guitarist, bassist, keyboardist and drummer. They opened with Stonecutters from Dope Lemon’s debut album Honey Bones, followed in quick succession by the eerie, psychedelic How Many Times and the ever-popular Marinade from the same album. The opening riff of Marinade was met with an ear-splitting scream of excitement from the crowd. It was undoubtedly one of the highlights of the night, along with the first single from second album Smooth Big Cat, Hey You. Hey You made you feel like Clint Eastwood in The Good, The Bad And The Ugly. Stone was channelling a bit of Eastwood himself, wearing a black wide-brim hat and unbuttoned blouse. Unfortunately, the signature cat masks did not make an appearance. 

The band rounded off their performance with the irresistibly catchy, feelgood track Home Soon from the 2017 EP Hounds Tooth. Almost as soon as they had exited the stage the chants of, “One more song,” began. They returned once more for an encore, playing crowd favourite Uptown Folks. The venue was filled with the lyric “Back to the garden we will go." The five shared a hug as the song came to an end, taking a bow before leaving the spotlight a final time.