Tue:01-07-2008

- Faker Concert Review

Sydney Boys Smash It Up Live

Australian alternative favourite Faker rocked out at Bigpond's Monday Night Live at Sydney's Basement this week.

The gigs are filmed and transmitted online in an attempt to give punters a live music experience from an Australian artist, without dragging their eyes away from their computers or mobile phones.

While these intimate gigs worked well online, the whole live vibe which is traditionally a more intense and engaging experience, failed to ignite the type of reaction from the crowd one would expect from a band as appealing as Faker.

The mood at the venue was uneven, the crowd diverse at best and there was nothing particulary rock and roll about the atmosphere.  Luckily the vibe didn't affect the band's performance or front man Nathan Hudson who was amped out and wired up possibly on his music, or something not so natural. We overheard one punter suggest that he may have been high on his ego. Even if this was the case, the energy and conviction he brought to his performance aided by his strong vocals, (which reminded me of Robert Smith from the Cure), is justification for any type of arrogance he may exude. Besides, it seems true enthusiasm can sometimes be mistaken for cockyness.

Nathan jumped around the stage, hung from the ceiling and channelled his best rock star moves on the small stage. The singer connected with the band while sweating in his collered shirt, which he told the crowd he wore for this "special occasion". The talented but vague vocalist tried to indulge in some audience interaction with little antidotes that led into awkward segways for songs. The band's impeccable sound was polished and represented their recording well.

Faker mostly played songs from their critically acclaimed second outing 'Be the Twilight' such as 'Sleep Walking' and 'Lazy bones', and ended with their most recognizable song 'This heart attack'.  The Sydney boys left the stage with the same energy they came on with, leaving us thinking they put on a pretty impressive show for a Monday night.

By Stephen Mai

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