fbpx
loader
Post Image
Gig ReviewsReviews

[Review] Michael Marcagi @ 170 Russell, Melbourne 17/07/2024

Move over Mumford & Sons and The Lumineers. Michael Marcagi is the new kid in town, and I have a feeling in my waters he’s going to do big things. 

Hump day in Melbourne and the streets are slicked with what feels like never ending rain, and despite my body adorning multiple thick layers of warmth it still wasn’t enough to combat the icy wind slicing its way through me. I head on down into the dark depths of 170 Russell and, my claustrophobic fears aside, this has fast become one of my favourite live music venues in Melbourne. I’m here to see Cincinnati-born singer-songwriter Michael Marcagi who is down under for the very first time, spreading the joy that is his music across our great country. 

To start the night and melt the icicles off our face with her warm tones was Tasmanian singer-songwriter, Maddy Jane. Maddy Jane hails from one of the most southern parts of the world before you hit Antarctica, and being an OG Tassie-born gal myself I couldn’t help but feel proud to have such a fabulous talent showcasing her gift around the country. With her melodic voice and guitar in hand, she blew us all away with a solo set which included the relatable June, Thylacine (TASSIE REPRESENT), and a stunning Paolo Nutini cover, Through the Echoes. Maddy Jane invited fellow singer Kaitlin Keegan on stage for a couple of numbers, and their voices were perfectly blended with flawless harmony. 

With a break in proceedings, the room was filling fast and there was an excited buzz around the place whilst the young crowd were awaiting the main event. Soon enough, the lights were lowered, and Norman Greenbaum’s Spirit in the Sky played out as Michael Marcagi and his 5-piece band venture out on stage to a huge round of applause from a delighted crowd. The mandolin-heavy upbeat track American Romance – from the EP of the same name – opened the set and straight away I can tell we’re in for a great night. Next was Spend My Money which is a track from Marcagi’s former band that he used to front, The Heavy Hours. 

In the Light’s lyrics hit me hard and was definitely one of the standout songs for me, before we were treated to a ripping cover of Olivia Rodrigo’s Deja Vu. In between songs, it became quite evident that Michael was so genuinely thrilled, and perhaps even slightly overwhelmed to be here in Australia. He was continuously gushing at how much he loves it here and was even repping a green and gold ‘Australia’ t-shirt that he’d bought from the souvenir shop over the road for $17 bucks. Talk about dedicated to the cause! The up-tempo track Savannah was another one that I could see everyone appeared to be getting into, before it was time to test out some new music on us with Stick Around. Michael was then left to his own devices as his band vacated the stage to leave him to do another new track on his own, and man this one packed a punch. The raw and gritty emotion in his vocals, especially in the bridge of this song, was something else and definitely one of my favourite moments of the night. He told us a hilarious story about performing that song recently and after the show, a concert-goer approached him to tell him how unsettled she felt because he was staring at her the whole time he sang that song. In his defense he couldn’t actually see 3 feet in front of him due to the blinding stage lights, but this woman was convinced he was staring at her so now he has a serious complex about “being that creepy guy on stage”. 

It was time for another cover and this time it was in the form of the Harry Styles hit, Two Ghosts. The crowd loved this one too and were singing along, and jokes were made about how he only had 6 songs out in the world, but next time he comes back to Australia he promised to have more songs of his own to perform. The night was starting to draw to a close but not before Tear It All Apart, followed up by the popular, Scared to Start. It was a sea of iPhones and not a cigarette lighter in sight as the crowd sang along passionately to every word of this song, whilst capturing every moment for themselves to watch over and over again once they were home. It was goodnights all round as Michael and his band vacated the stage, but with the crowd’s feral reaction for more they had no other choice but to come back and give us one more song. The Other Side was our reward and the whole room erupted and once again provided back up vocals. It was then goodnight for good as Michael Marcagi and his band waved graciously as they headed off.

Marcagi’s beautiful vocals, songwriting prowess and musicianship make for a killer mix, and I think he’s going to do big things in the future! Add to this the fact he seems like such a genuine and humble guy who appears to be truly touched by his existing fans and their dedication. Throughout the show he kept raving about his newfound love of Australia and the surrealism that he’s here performing for crowds, and I can say we would love to have him back anytime! I can’t wait to see what Michael Marcagi delivers us next because guaranteed, it’ll be fantastic!

Read More
Post Image
Gig ReviewsReviews

[Review] Loveless @ 170 Russell, Melbourne 20/08/2023

Review By Emily

Pop culture has forever been a universal language, consistently infiltrating the minds of the current teen population. The popularity of TikTok has opened the scope for influencers worldwide, globalising the music scene more than ever, and Loveless is no exception. Riding off the recent resurgence of the emo scene, the Los Angeles locals who formed in mid 2020 have amounted an incredible international fanbase in a matter of months. Making their Melbourne debut, the boys of Loveless lived up to their online hype – selling out the iconic 170 Russell with a sensational punk-rock set reminiscent of the early 2000s greats including My Chemical Romance and Evanescence.

Closer to home, Sydney locals Closure set the tone for the short-but-sweet evening. Having released their first single in 2019, the band have had years to perfect their sound. Fronted by the enchanting vocalist Lucy May, the set played out with a perfect blend of originals and covers, each track feeding energy directly into the crowd. Starting out strong with a rock cover of Katy Perry’s Teenage Dream, Closure demanded the room’s attention. A particularly refreshing element was the consistently heavy, screeching guitar riffs that rang through every track, adding a level of emotion that cannot be portrayed through lyricism alone.

Although leaning heavily into the punk genre, Closure’s music remains bright and energetic, capturing the highs and lows of the emotions of their young adult audience. Bleed Out (No Wonder), the band’s newest single was a sure highlight of the set – backed by catchy electronic elements and an overlay of heavy metal drumming, ‘this is a fucking angry song’. Lucy’s vocals on this new track sound very similar to the bright emo tones of early records from The Veronicas, paired with a screamo-style backing from the band.

Their debut single, Bedroom, may have been released a number of years ago, however the catchy guitar riffs and dreamy vocals make it one of the band’s strongest tracks. The relatable lyrics of loneliness and the ramifications of hook-up culture are as heartbreaking as they are empowering, and were the perfect way to rial up the audience one final time. Heavy headbanging and flying arms played out the set as the venue quickly hit its capacity in perfect time for Loveless to take the stage. 

Exploding into the mainstream charts in 2021 as a cover band, Loveless is ready to make a name for themselves as a heavyweight in the alt-pop scene. Blending modern hits with high-velocity hard rock and punk vocals, the band has nailed down their sound extraordinarily quickly, subsequently growing an incredibly loyal online fanbase. Putting faces to the screen names of their fans, 170 Russell found itself bursting at the seams on Sunday night to welcome the LA locals. Hitting all the conventional Aussie traditions, the band sunk a few VB’s, did a shoey, and became the captains of an ‘Aussie Aussie Aussie’ chant within their first 10 minutes on stage.

The simple production allowed all attention to be placed on front man Julian Comeau. The perfect leader for a band, Julian came out guns blazing, not only vocally, but in his incredible physical performance. Channelling an early rock god, Julian’s ability to make contact with every audience member adds a warmness to their set, and a complete obliteration of the fourth wall. Starting out with a single from their breakout, self-titled album; Haunting Me was met with the energy expected of an encore performance. Racing and jumping around the stage, it was unfathomable to think the band was going to keep up such high intensity, and quality instrumentalism for the entire hour.

I Hope I’m Not Sick showcased the leaning into a new rock genre. High energy, upbeat drumming making it impossible not to smile and dance, even through the dark lyrical themes of mental health struggles. The light that Loveless is clearly providing for their fans who may be struggling with loneliness and self-worth is immense, and their warm community is something for any band to strive for.

Julian’s vocals are undoubtably flawless, with a range and projection that perfectly fills out the band’s discography. Filled with emotion and life, these vocals paired with fast-paced rock drumming gives that perfect dichotomy of teenage angst, the replication of a racing heart and mind typical of adolescent years.

The time between each track was a comedic pause in what is such imposing music. The banter back and forth between Julian and his bandmate and guitarist, Dylan was abrupt, yet acted as a time for air between such heavy-hitting songs. The band’s ability to think on their feet as juvenile jokesters had the audience in fits of laughter, bridging the gap between artist and listener. Coming into the limelight as online personalities, Loveless has done an incredible job at transferring these fan relationships into meaningful face-to-face interactions – even stopping the show at one point to sing Happy Birthday to their many fans who were celebrating that night.

Powering though their two-album catalogue, Loveless touched on all their hits including sorry i’m a downer, For You, Killing Time, IS IT ME, as well as some of the fan-favourite deep-cuts. It was so clear the band were simply here to have a good time, rather than to perform a perfectly planned spectacle. Playing through a plethora of tech issues, they didn’t miss a beat, nor did they lose the captivation of the crowd. Still becoming accustom to their overnight fame, there was a genuine feeling of gratitude and excitement in the air as Julian pondered, ‘You know what’s weird.. this is our job’.

With such a unique and attractive sound, and an army of fans, this is just the beginning for the alt-rock duo. Closing out the night with a brightly lit, high energy tune Drag Me Down, it felt as though the audience was not ready to say goodbye to their idols. This extraordinary level of anticipation is set to lead Loveless into many more successful Aussie tours in the future, making a promise on their departure, ‘we will be back soon’.

Read More