Glowing with the red light of static disco balls and the beaming faces of the nearly two hundred in attendance, the Corner Hotel in Richmond transformed an otherwise banal Wednesday evening into an enthralling showcase of talent.
Middle Kids made a stop here for their national tour in the wake of the massive success of their debut album, ‘Lost Friends’, which dropped in early May. Their arrival onstage was received with tremendous enthusiasm, galvanised by two supporting acts that brought just the right amount of energy to warm The Corner Hotel crowd on an 8 degree evening; the first was Lottie Liams, a Melbournian singer/songwriter who’s aura of mystery formed the instant she took the stage without a band. This atmosphere transformed into one of overwhelming serenity as she submerged the audience in a sea of ethereal acoustic folk ballads, casting a gentle light under which the succeeding performance by Ruby Fields shone frenetic. The Sydney-based guitarist/vocalist was aided by drummer George Georgiadis and bassist Brad Heald in delivering a slew of cathartic indie rock bangers, including a polished cover of Garbage’s ‘Cherry Lips’. A raw sound and bona fide banter between songs lent Ruby an endearing presence that set the stage to be taken by Middle Kids at the height of the night.
Middle Kids carried themselves with charming authenticity as well, cracking jokes about bassist Tim Fitz’s insecurities when confronted by relatively presumptuous Melbournian audiences; but the crowd that night was no such thing. An enchanting connection between audience and the stage was facilitated by guitarist/vocalist Hannah Joy and her air of suavity. This link was made more intimate by Joy’s solo performance of ‘Doing it Right’ halfway through the set, which brought the rhythm of the evening to a slow trot that quickly returned to a gallop paced by ‘Tell me Something’ and ‘Mistake’. With a live sound that rings true to their studio recordings, Middle Kids run a pretty great live show.
An encore consisting of ‘Lost Friends’ and an impromptu cover of Blink 182’s ‘All the Small Things’ wrapped up an immaculate evening that you wish you didn’t miss… but if you are in North America or Europe, you’ll be pleased to hear that Middle Kids may be dropping by a city near you – check out tour dates here
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