Newcastle Panthers
Saturday May 17, 2014 :
Indie folk heavyweights, Boy & Bear, descended on the Newcastle Panthers club tonight, continuing their extensive regional tour. An all ages crowd showcased the diversity and popularity of the band’s growing fanbase, filing into the club at a steady flow as former Triple J Unearthed winner Patrick James warmed things up before the main act took to the stage. Unfortunately I didn’t catch the highly rated young folk musician’s set (instead I was treated to a cold and uninspired meal from the bistro), however he must have made a solid impression because the crowd was in high spirits and the venue had swelled significantly before Boy & Bear made their entrance to a warm, appreciative reception.
Kicking off their set with ‘Three Headed Woman’, Boy & Bear captured the crowd from the outset, playing a tight, vibrant set featuring songs from their two acclaimed full-length albums, Moonfire and last year’s mature sophomore effort Harlequin Dream, as well as the ever popular ‘Rabbit Song’ from their accomplished debut EP, With Emperor Antarctica.
The rich instrumentation Boy & Bear is renowned for, coupled with their strong presence on the road really came to the fore in the live setting. The band shared wonderful chemistry, displaying their laidback yet professional demeanour and incorporating piano, electric and acoustic guitars, banjo, bass, drums and a variety of percussive instruments into their repertoire. Likable frontman Dave Hosking was clearly impressed by the crowd size and response, stating “we didn’t realise so many people liked us in Newcastle”, also proclaiming tonight’s turn-out the biggest crowd of the tour thus far.
The lighting was simple but effective, complimenting the warm, organic tones of the instruments, and overall I couldn’t really fault the sound or the band’s excellent musicianship on the night. Hosking’s clear, resonant voice was in fine form, while his humble interactions with the crowd were relaxed and confident. Musically Boy & Bear is progressing nicely, moving beyond the confines of their folky roots into a more dynamic and mature sound, taking influence from classic rock sources and showing an obvious debt to Fleetwood Mac on Harlequin Dream. The latest album was well represented during the set, with highlights from the album including hit single ‘Southern Sun’ and the wonderful title track, complete with guest saxophone solo.
Moonfire’s ‘Part Time Believer’ and ‘Milk & Sticks’ both garnered strong crowd responses, with the former featuring a killer extended jam and guitar solo. Towards the end of a well-rounded performance Hosking informed the crowd that Boy & Bear doesn’t do encores, before concluding the set with three songs from Moonfire in the shape of the sparse folk balladry of ‘Big Man’, a faster, driving rendition of ‘Golden Jubilee’, and the superb ‘Feeding Line’.
Aside from some poor gig etiquette from a handful of clueless fans, this was a highly enjoyable night of live music delivered by a band clearly loving their work and riding high on a creative wave of commercial and critical success.
Reviewer: Luke Saunders