The Basics - The Hopetoun Hotel, Sydney (August 19th, 2008)

The Hopetoun is a welcoming place. Enter from the cold and immediately tear off jackets as the heat hits by the crowded bar, stamped on the wrist for entry with ink politely asking you to ‘get inside you bastard.’ Grab yourself a low priced beer, stand around inches from the stage and wait in the musty atmosphere of one of Sydney’s most homely venues; where scrap pieces of plywood block out the windows behind the band, scraps of insulation peek out through the gaps and a threatening painting of Yoda peers over the extremities of the bar.

This venue claims host to the opening act, one of Sydney’s most celebrated unknowns; Cuthbert and the Nightwalkers. From their entry onto the stage it’s obvious that they’ve streamlined the band since my last encounter with them, their usual five member choir has been cut back to three, one of whom has now been given keyboard duties. Whether this is to fit onto the tiny stage of the Hopetoun, or a much needed smack of common sense is another story, but it seems to work with the band’s unity. They play through their innocent indie rock, new tracks mingling with old favourites like ‘Red Frogs,’ ‘Sparky’ and ‘Newtown’ (which all get a cheer from the punters on introduction.) The band has improved beyond sight. They’re tighter, more directed and matured...they’re much less of a novelty band with the culling of the choir and the new sound is impeccable. They still suffer occasionally with sound issues, a distorted wall of sound taking place over the beauty of some of the distinct noises they’re trying to create, but then again, the Hopetoun isn’t exactly world famous for its acoustics.

Cuthbert and the Nightwalkers leave the stage to great reception, replaced in due time by the Basics, a three piece from Melbourne dressed neatly in retro styled gray suits and skinny ties. They’re a throwback to the rock bands of old, toying with the sound made famous by the Kinks and the Animals with sweetened doo wops splitting out the sides. From old favourites ‘Looking Over My Shoulder,’ ‘I Could Go On’ and ‘Karolina’ to covers of Neil Young and the Kinks, their set is varied, solid, up-tempo and amusing. The night can be described as not much other than joyous, although there seems to be a touch of tension between front members Tim Heath and Kris Schroeder, the banter often degrading into awkward pauses and insults.

It’s very hard to address a Basics gig without stating something that the band seems to be constantly trying to shake; the influence of Wally de Backer on drums. Every interview, every article and every album review tends to come back to the point that Gotye plays the drums, which is no doubt infuriating for the band who want to stand on their own three feet, however, de Backer’s influence is undeniable. The songs featuring him on vocals far and away supersede any of the others, which weakens the bands aural aesthetic. It’s rare that the talent of one member can get in the way of enjoying the rest of the band, but every taste of de Backer’s voice leaves you yearning for more, not less as the direction of each subsequent setlist seems to suggest.

The Basics have a fun sound that’s coming into vogue with bands like Little Red and the Holidays making waves across the country. They’ve re-released their last album of 2002 ‘Get Back,’ with remastered tracks, one of which will hopefully start finding some airplay and spearhead this band who are dwindling far too low on the music scene for their talent and sound. Expect to see more of them as they continue to tour their unique brand of pop across the country throughout August as they round off their tour through Queensland.