Live Review: Swervedriver, Iowa, White Walls

It's grand final day in Melbourne town and clusters of revellers across the road from the Corner Hotel are showing signs of excessive refreshment following the Hawks' win today. While numbers are minimal inside the Corner, it isn't stopping first Swervedriver support, White Walls, from delivering a rockin' set of tight, fuzzed out tunes. Operating as a three-piece with no bassist and two guitars doesn't detract at all from the thump these boys produce, with hard-hitting drums giving the tunes urgency.

Second local support, Iowa, continue the thick guitar tones with more of an indie sensibility, creating an impressive wall of sound for a three-piece. The crowd is slowly starting to trickle in now, and the band makes the most of the spotlight, with vocalist Dylan Stewart periodically giving his voice box a damn good throttling. Iowa's sound harks back to '90s guitar-driven indie rock, a la Dinosaur Jr, complete with screeching guitar bends.

In the time it takes to sink a pint, the room is suddenly packed with punters keen to witness shoegaze royalty, Swervedriver, performing their first album Raise in its entirety. The stage's red curtain opens to reveal the band, and the four members nonchalantly get to work, with the tremolo guitar line from first track, Sci-Flyer, cutting through the mix nicely. The lighting tonight is minimal, with flashing bursts occasionally firing in sympathy with drum rolls and grainy footage projected over the band adding mystique.

The rhythm section is a focal point, with the rakish Steve George's bass locking in tightly with the remarkably quick Graham Bonnar, whose drumming is flamboyantly precise. Lead singer Adam Franklin engages little with the crowd, however, and while this is a shoegaze trademark it's still a little disappointing, given the decent turnout. As if in defence of this, Franklin at one point remarks: “You can't really call out any songs can you, 'cos...” and trails off, leaving the crowd to figure it out.

Having played Raise fully through, the encore brings with it Last Train To Satansville, and the change in audience mood is immediate, bodies moving with renewed vigour. Deep Wound, The Birds and crowd pleaser, Duel, pump energy levels up, the band airing new track Husk to complete the set. Whilst not a stinker of a show by any means, Swervedriver punch their time cards and exit the stage having done their duty.