Gig review: The Bravery in Wellington
Retro-styled New York band The Bravery is a quintet that mixes post-punk and rock riffs with electro pop synth ideas and New Order basslines.
The Bravery
Where: San Francisco Bath House, Wellington
When: Saturday June 14
The band released its self-titled debut in 2005 and by the time of last year's The Sun and the Moon, had been involved in a hissy-fit with rival retro The Killers and had opened for Depeche Mode, one of the group's rather obvious influences.
The Bravery is a group that knows how to put on a show full of energy and with a strong commitment to the songs.
Interpol, a far superior band - on paper and on record - seemed bored, boring and beyond detached during its live Wellington show three years ago.
But not The Bravery. Bursting out with its second single, Fearless, the group had the backlit stage and the post-Joy Division mood in place, but lead singer Sam Endicott and lead guitarist Mike Zakarin gave it their all to entertain.
John Conway bopped away behind his rack of keyboards while Anthony Burulcich kept the drum pulse lively and Mike Hindert continued to understudy for Peter Hook.
Endicott has an obvious vocal Robert Smith affectation, but the band does not sound entirely like The Cure, because, during The Ocean and B-side The Dandy Rock there is the blended sound of New Order and Joy Division.
The Bravery even appears to ape other retro rockers - the pop and bounce of Franz Ferdinand is often apparent.
Several tracks had the Blue Monday-meets-Blondie disco feel beneath the basic drums, bass, and guitar rock approach.
Swollen Summer was based on a blistering peel of post-punk guitar and Zakarin also threw in a cheeky quote from Guns N' Roses' Sweet Child O' Mine's classic solo.
The group performs enough anthems to keep the crowd happy, and the closing Unconditional had plenty in the audience chanting along with them.
Originality might not be the band's strong suit, but that is not the point - as would seem obvious with so many overt retro influences. There was more than enough energy to make up for it.
*What did you think of the show? Post your comments below.
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posted by atiedesandy @ 20:41
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