The Small Ballroom, Newcastle
Thursday October 17, 2013 :
Boy oh boy, do they sing it like they mean it! With their third LP set to be that next record you crave, the boys from New Empire are back touring Eastern Australia on their ‘Say It Like You Mean It’ tour.
Ben and the Sea set the intimate scene of musical whizzes from the start. They captivated two handfuls of people through their set, navigating the audience by their collective melodies and raw folk sound.
Evan and The Brave were next up in the Ballroom, playing a slice of unhampered rock-pop goodness, and managing to draw an extra handful of brave people to the dance floor.
Next up sprung Ash Gale, who was undoubtedly full of the joys of spring. The former Sundance Kids front man showcased his new sound, and deserved every new admirer who got wrapped up in his craft.
This night, within the heart of Newcastle, around 50 fans were there to love on New Empire in an intimate set that began with ‘The Sun Won’t Sleep’. This set the scene for modern rock to meet the refreshment of your choice, as the boys have a way of weaving hope through all their fans in a unique way.
With a balance of old songs from their second LP Symmetry, including fan-favourites ‘Across The Oceans’ and ‘One Heart/Million Voices’, they gave a full-flavoured taste of what’s coming next.
The title track ‘In a Breath’ was a moving crowd pleaser; a song about “taking a risk when you really need to”. And ‘Relight The Fire’ soon resounded with every fan’s heart (this was the song that carried their fans through the Symmetry-Now period).
A couple of songs later invited the band’s newfound vintage influence and hoots from the crowd; the 70’s synth that meant ‘Say It Like You Mean It’. Then the band had a banter, and although they don’t say much between tracks, the fans got to meet the new bassist in town, learning that he rivals lead guitarist Kyle for the ‘best-bearded in band’ honour.
A few fans almost lost their pants when Jeremy began to strum to Ed Sheeran’s ‘Kiss Me’, and he made sure to thank them for their priceless reactions after the show.
Finishing with a new anthem ‘Fallen Soldiers’, it’s obvious this music has been genuinely made with the one heart, and en route to be heard by a million voices. This four piece share what’s important to them, and I got the vibe those same things were important to every single heart in that small ballroom; veteran and newbie fans alike.
The boys are all about hanging out, so you’ve got to get amongst this stadium-ready indie rock at the more intimate level, before NE embrace a hurricane of selfless hype worldwide. Let’s just say I drove home from this gig dreaming of how I could get my hands on the master copy of the LP. But don’t worry; we’ll have it In A Breath.
Reviewer: Chelsea Mitchell
Photographer: Glen Pearson
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