Despite the icy conditions a good number turned out to celebrate the release of Idly By’s new single ‘Talk Me Down’. The band tore through a high energy set of old and new songs, three of which will be on their forthcoming new album. They opened with ‘Come Unwound’ and then quickly hit us with a couple of great new ones – ‘Have a Nice Time’ and ‘Feed the Machine’. Both songs feature catchy tunes and strong instrumentals – excellent signs for the next album. The band ran through a selection of old favourites (‘Concerned Realists vs M&Ms’, ‘Have You Got Enough’, ‘Eat the Rich’, which featured trumpet, ‘Dagget’ and ‘Don’t Want You to Die’) before we got to the new single.

Singer/guitarist Leith James is a charismatic and hyper front man (see his punk jumps!) – he’s clever and quick witted as well as being empathetic. His advocacy for breaking the stigma around mental health issues comes through in his lyrics as well as in his banter between songs. New single ‘Talk Me Down’ illustrates this perfectly in the guise of a pop-punk banger that gets you thinking as much as it will make you want to dance.

Idly By are a great band to see live, and tonight they were augmented with Mat Morison on keyboards for the full set and Clarrie on trumpet for a couple of songs. Morison’s keyboards added a layer of lush melody to the sound while the trumpet enhanced the ska feel of ‘Eat the Rich’. Drummer Luke Davies and bass player Tom (it was his last show before leaving the band) are a versatile rhythm section, giving the punkier songs sharp energy and the slower songs a danceable lilt. The melodic interplay between the guitar and bass adds to the memorable and catchy nature of the material.

Though Friday night was the end of an era for the band, it was also the beginning of a new one. The new songs sound great and they were as energetic as ever – anticipation is growing for the new album!

Sunday afternoon shows at the Grace Emily always turn out to be something special. The Midnight Mares performed a brief but excellent set of acoustic tunes, and then a longer run of electric songs.

The acoustic set began with two new songs – ‘Empires’ and ‘Grim Robert’ – memorable tunes that suited the acoustic treatment but would also work well with full electric arrangements. The acoustic set was mellow, but the performances still had grit – the stripped back Gothic folk arrangements allowed the songs to shine. Guitarist Matt Swayne, keyboardist Elizabeth Reid and drummer Peter Owen’s voices melded in spot on harmonies throughout the afternoon. Album tracks ‘Heads I Stay’ and ‘Too Dark for Me’ also benefited from the acoustic treatment, highlighting the melodic interplay between the keys and guitars. Bassist Denni Meredith is the band’s secret weapon – he plays a melodic style all his own that enhances the songs – they wouldn’t have the same impact without his contributions.

The electric set opened with ‘Endless Nights of Rock and Roll’, a song with a stately Bad Seeds feel to it, with Swayne’s sombre and atmospheric baritone vocal perfect for the lyrical rumination on the passing of time. ‘Sparks!’ is jangly and catchy guitar rock delivered in the style of the band that gave the song its name. ‘Lethologica’ was a highlight – Swayne and Reid traded lead vocals over swirling guitars and keys while gorgeous vocal harmonies accentuated the haunting chorus melody before ending with an epic, shimmering guitar solo from Swayne that captivated the crowd.

Though the band favours dark subject matter, they’re warm and friendly, engaging in banter with the audience and enlightening us with the stories behind some of the songs. It was fitting that ‘Heads I Stay’ originated at the Grace Emily and final song ‘The Don Cesar’ tells the story of lost love that inspired the building of a hotel in Reid’s native Florida. The sadness in Reid’s vocal performance on this song was palpable. The Midnight Mares are a dynamic and engaging live band whose performances are rare. If you ever get a chance to see them, don’t hesitate!

Street Legal opened the Umbrella Festival in style at the Cranker on Friday night. Though this was only the band’s second show, you wouldn’t know it, being a local super group of sorts. They play a mix of new wave, funk, punk and garage rock that had the enthusiastic crowd on their feet and moving.

Singer Matthew Hayward knows how to engage with the audience, and his timely political rants were accurate and well received. Subject matter for his songs ranged from FIFO dating to anti-vaxxers and one being a dig at our reprehensible previous Prime Minister. The band has written and arranged some excellent songs and they put in a dynamic performance. A fired-up cover of the Buzzcocks’ ‘Ever Fallen In Love’ wasn’t out of place among the originals.

Musically the band was tight and inspired. Guitarists Shara and Libby mixed spiky new wave and funk riffs with punky garage rock power chords while drummer Max and bass player Kyron held it all together and drove the grooves for each song. Used sparingly, percussive backing tracks added to the danceable nature of the bands’ sound but never overpowered the live instruments.

Street Legal may be new to the scene but each individual member’s experience playing in some of Adelaide’s finest bands has given them a head start. There’s a definite chemistry that comes across in their performance. They’re fun to watch, engaging and I guarantee they will make you want to move.