secret fireworks

The smell of pizza fills the air as we walk into the Black Box cafe for tonight’s Unconvention showcase, featuring more than 10 local acts from across the musical spectrum upon two different stages.


Seven Summits kicked off proceedings with a simple yet gorgeous set full of beautiful harmonies. The temptation for many bands is to cover weak songwriting or a lack of talent by simply making a lot a noise but it’s clearly not the case for these guys- Rory’s voice is hauntingly beautiful at times, and the songs certainly stand out even when they’re stripped back to just an acoustic guitar and a bass. “Stairs” and “Lemonade” were just two highlights.

Robert Holmes greeted us with a dark, eerie set that immediately grabs your attention. Once again he excels in the stripped back setting- despite the commotion taking place in the cafe during his set he manages to create a wonderful atmosphere that makes you feel like you’re watching something private, something raw and emotional. The vocals don’t always ring out and it’s tough to decipher the lyrics, but that just adds to the atmosphere. A wonderful performance and certainly one to watch in the next few years.

Escape Act (or rather, the lead singer, Chris Heaney) perform a very different set compared to what we’re used to. A wonderful performance of “Sullied Behave For The Stars” starts things off and it’s clear to see that this band are getting better and better. Heaney’s voice has improved tenfold- it’s much stronger and much more consistent. The new material played promises great things: while the debut album Loosely Based On Fiction contained some brilliant songs it seems the new tunes have a bit more substance and edge.



It’s the turn of the main stage now, and the best performance of the night comes from John Shelley and the Creatures. Quite frankly, it’s stunning. There’s simply not a weak song in tonight’s set, and the performance is very polished. The songs are catchy but they’re distinctive, blending folk and indie into one delightful little package. The drumming is incredible and the vocals are superb tonight. They don’t deserve to be playing in front of relatively small crowds and if their new single “Long May You Reign” does well, they’ll be a major success. Simply the best performance at this showcase.



With that in mind, it was pretty difficult for Strait Laces to follow that performance. “Romantic Issues” is a cracking song (with one of the funkiest introductions I’ve heard in a while) but the vocals, by the singer’s admission, are a little off (apparently he’s losing his voice) and it’s the same for the rest of the set- it’s energetic and there’s a lot of things going on but the vocals just aren’t there. With that in mind, it would be a little unfair to be overly critical of Strait Laces tonight.

Colenso Parade take to the stage, dressed to the nines and immediately crack things up a notch. Every song is ridiculously catchy and poppy- a talented McFly, if you will. It’s a fairly short set but my goodness, the lads give it their all. The last song “Mr Riley” sums up the band perfectly- catchy choruses, well constructed melodies, thoughful lyrics and a hell of a lot of noise.

A Plastic Rose sit at the other end of the musical spectrum- their sound is a little bit more contemplative, a little bit more moody, but they simply rock the Black Box to its foundations. The group has matured over the past few years and it’s clear to see. “Sun’s A Shadow” is jaw droppingly amazing. The whole post rock sound works so well for the lads, and probably the most stunning moment of the night is the brief moment of silence before everything goes a little bit haywire. The incredible forthcoming single “Kids Don’t Behave Like This” wraps up the set, and it’s the end to such an wonderful intimate performance.

The sound of helicopters in the background brings Ed Zealous to the stage and from the first note to the encore song it’s a non stop rollercoaster. The melodies are so well constructed and the keyboard parts intertwine perfectly with the crashing guitars. “Pretty Face” is my highlight of the set- every word is delicately chosen, with ridiculously catchy melodies and more hooks than a cloakroom. The biggest cheers of the night ring out after the encore- a great end to a night filled with superb acts. Supporting Snow Patrol in the Odyssey may be Ed Zealous’ big break- and on tonight’s performance it’s clear to see that they deserve it.

Labels: colesco parade, ed zealous, escape act, john shelly and the creatures, robert holmes, seven summits, strait laces, unconvention