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GIG REVIEW: City Calm Down

12 November 2012 | 10:30 am | Hannah Galvin

Did you check out City Calm Down at GoodGod last Thursday? Well if for some horrid reason you missed it, don't fret as we've got you covered!

It was a stormy yet sticky evening on Thursday in Sydney. The weather was frustrated; causing people to forget what season we are presently in.

However, if you were one of the few of us who escapaded into the depths of GoodGod's Danceteria on this same night, you'd know that all of this weather nonsense was soon forgotten due to the performance CITY CALM DOWN gave us in celebration of their brand new EP release, Movements.

Sydney pop band Gnome opened up the show. Outlaying their dreamy, ethereal tracks, the shared lyrics of this brother and sister duo provided something really special for what was to come of this musically stocked up night.

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Yama Indra - better known by his stage name Gloves - was up next. Mixing the night up a bit, Gloves took to the decks of the Danceteria, rather than the stage, to spin beats and tunes that delivered a pleasant dosage of energy for the Sydney crowd.

Olympic Ayres filled the final support slot in such a delightful way. A set fueled by heavy synths, strong lyrics (which at times were passed to the audience in a rap manner) and fantastic dancing, the duo, whom on the night were accompanied by a third member, proved their strength and livelihood through their captivating performance.

And then finally, the main event - City Calm Down.

The I Oh You band took the stage with confidence and charm. Although City Calm Down holds a total population of four, the band managed to use up the entire space of GoodGod's stage, due to their copious amount of instruments. Besides the predominant bass lines, progressive drumming, heavy synthesisers and strong vocals, some of the tracks throughout the headliner's set needed even more. Guitars were thrown in, electronic drum machines, tambourines and even a saxophone.

The lighting that flooded the band throughout the entire performance poured in an aesthetic that was just visually stunning. It was something that really complemented the band as they battled out a really amazing performance.

Their set consisted of a variety of tunes - both new and old. They played songs from their self-titled 2010 debut EP, as well as tracks from their week old release Movements. A chilled out cover of 'Lovesick' by Friendly Fires also managed to squeeze into their set!

After a charismatic, honest and energy-ridden performance, City Calm Down ended the show with 'Dare'. For me, this last track is what really spoke to the audience. The superb instrumentation moulded together so flawlessly. The vocals were full of substance and every single member up on that stage really got into what they were doing as it was exhibited in such a powerful way.

Although the room could have been more crowded, the launch of Movements was really appreciated by all attendees. This was proven through the undeniable attention that City Calm Down received, including a proud Johann Ponniah [of Melbourne label I Oh You] as he watched the live magic unravel before him.

Words by Hannah Galvin, check out her street on POSSE.COM