Ocean Grove with These New South Whales and Peni Parker 2nd June at the Metro
Review and Photos by Jade Guida
There are very few things that would draw me out of my house on a freezing Thursday night, but Peni Parker is one of them. I have been eagerly awaiting the opportunity to see this band play live and I was not disappointed. It is absolute electricity as the band steps on stage. I have loved everything about this band on social media and online in general. The visuals, the storytelling the overall response to them so far has left me enthralled. In this day and age, it's easy to fall in love with bands online because it's easy to curate the perfect image BUT holy shit Peni Parker is the best thing I've witnessed. They lived up to all the public hype as well as the untouchable pedestal id created in my mine. Overflowing with energy and buzzing with charisma this band is exceptional. The crowd that lined up and stood in the cold were rewarded with this treasure of a set. Is it all girls dream to be a part of a fem alt rock band? Is it just mine? I don't know but what I can say is that Peni Parker are everything you want in a band.
These New South Whales. Where do I start. Wildly energetic and passionately wild. This band is extra and extraordinary. I don't know where to begin to describe this set. Ask anyone, I'm never at a loss for words but this was entirely unexpected. It was grungy and carnal and punk, and I couldn't tear my eyes away. The stage presence was of a seasoned band. They understood what was expected and they delivered and delivered again. The punk vocals over guttural guitar and a raspy looped synth sound were delicious. There was no dip in the set, it was a set full of emotion and eager anticipation. I could see desperate fans singing along, begging for more... which they got. Overall, These New South Whales are enigmatic and a must experience band.
Ocean Grove are an incredible live band. I haven’t been to a show with that much energy with a crowd that engaged in a long time. Ocean Grove come out of the gates so strong- from the moment they stepped on stage with the strobe, the bright lights and some seriously sensual dance moves the crowd was in raptures. Sydney had been waiting 2 years for this show and the crowd was ready to soak up every moment of intimacy they could. Vocalist Dale Tanner is a born performer- his ability to connect with the crowd is quite special. Not only does Tanner wow attendees with exceptional vocals but he just has the ability to emotionally connect with the crowd. I have to say ‘Sex Dope Gold’ is a personal favorite and it did not disappoint, the song is more fun, more chaos and more enjoyable live than I could have imagined. Some other hard-hitting favorites were also played in the stacked set list such as ‘Shimmer’ and ‘Silver lining’ and the crowd just soaked it all in. The energy, the connection and the exceptional musicianship was in full force at the Metro for this show.
