Live Review: The Disappointed, Boys, Boys, Boys!, Fait Accompli, Tired Lion, New Animals

On Friday night many a supportive friend and fan made their way out to Amplifier Bar to help local rockers The Disappointed launch their new single, I Disagree With Myself.

A recent addition to the local scene, New Animals had the hard task of playing to a minimal early-bird crowd, but were impressive regardless. Kudos to any band that can mix electronica with indie rock and still resist the urge to shoegaze their way through a set of non-hooks – these guys can pen a tune with a real attention paid to arrangement, made most apparent in set closer, Balayage. Next up were Tired Lion, who never let an early set time get in the way of sounding like they're playing a stadium show. Smashing Pumpkins-style guitars complemented leading lady Sophie Hopes' sweet melodies, commanding the attention of everyone in the room.

Sydney-based three-piece Fait Accompli were a pleasant surprise, winning the crowd over almost as soon as they'd started with what was essentially a fairly straightforward serving of punk and rock'n'roll in an Ash-meets-Millencolin sort of way. Their live spectacle was something to behold; both the drummer and bass player were particularly animated to a point where it was impossible to keep your eyes off them. The Hey Mickey-esque, '80s throwback pop of Boys Boys Boys! was certainly an odd choice for the line-up, but it didn't take long for the crowd to give in to their bubbly nature, complete with synchronised dance moves. Even though the aerobics costumes and the keytar (didn't they ban those? I'm pretty sure they banned those…) were just asking for trouble, songs like Holiday managed to put a big smile on this reviewer's face, that's for sure. Remember kids, it's okay to have fun every now and then.

Finally, The Disappointed walked out, much to the delight of the audience. The crowd got every bit the gig they'd come out to see with the band clearly revelling in the moment. Launch gigs at Amps have a way of seeming much bigger than other local gigs, partly due to the clubby nature of the venue and the reliable walk-in crowds post-10pm, but the band also has to take their performance to that next level to do the slot justice. Upbeat and tight with a focus on writing catchy tunes, it's still early days but they definitely have potential.