Live Review: Seaplane - The Waiting Room

Usually rain on a Friday night deters some from venturing out, however this is clearly not the case for this crowd. People clamber under the stairs for a dry place to smoke and catch up, and then, more importantly, they jam themselves inside The Waiting Room as tonight's Sonic Masala line-up pulls out an eclectic doozie.

With rain delays seeming common, El Motel open the night to a slightly diminished crowd. The indie rock/pop two-piece however don't seem too fazed as they put on a good tight show to an appreciative audience.

The drum kit has been digitised and guitars have grown keys for video game tribute band Boss Fight. The band, apart from being seemingly the happiest people in the world, are wildly technically proficient and loyal to the original tones of the tracks. It becomes a guessing game as the group take on the sounds of F-Zero, various Sonic themes and the best polka version of the Tetris theme around. It is odd, somewhat camp and a tad cliché, but somehow in the circumstances it is hard to deny that this band are the greatest that have ever lived.

By the time locals Tape/Off take to the stage, the night has been dubbed a sell out. With Tiny Spider Cam Smith assuming bass duties, the group fly through their beloved catalogue to a clearly enthusiastic audience. While vocalist Nathan Pickels levels are a tad down, it is clear why it's hard to hear them, with the volume of the musical output pushing the local limits. With their excellent set ending seemingly quickly, they close with Something That We Know to a well-deserved applause.

Closing the night, Seaplane play to a slightly smaller, but nonetheless eager crowd. The three-piece dip their hands in various sonic pies as the set ranges from loud noise to spaced-out instrumental soundscapes. The slower material shows that in another dimension Seaplane is a word that rhymes with Pavement, which in the way it is delivered is by all means acceptable. It's definitely a soirée when the power chord/'woo' heavy Soirée gets an airing, clearly getting the warmest reception of the night. Despite encouragement to continue, the band wrap up the night and descend into the shadows.

A simple night to sum up really, with both the crowd and the bands alike all having an overwhelmingly positive experience. Simple.