Rain appears to have called off play outside and tick tock goes the clock. On the inside, however, there is beer. Good old beer. So much more inspirational than an umbrella and that infernal rain, you will no doubt be glad to know, didn’t actually stop play for Moon King, Lylo and Adam Ross even if the kickoff was somewhat delayed.
Adam Ross, on parole from his band Randolph’s Leap, kicked things off with the solo sensitive boy with guitar thing and did it well. His reflections on the subtleties of life took him straight to the top of the pile and powered by the kind of self-deprecating humour – “I was waiting for my stylist to arrive…” – that would make any audience feel right at home with him, he left the stage with more friends than he had started with.
Lylo, as a group clearly based on synchronicity, took their unquestionable musicianship and used it to prove that a band could indeed walk the tightrope between alt-rock and jazz-funk. Throwing in, as a bonus, a sax player helped them own that oft coveted ground that is the middle of the road.
And so to the real reason to be cheerful. Unperturbed by the paucity of actual audience, Canada’s persistent delighters Moon King took to the stage and revved their musical engine in aid of the good cause that is shooting dream pop full of steroids. Daniel Benjamin strutted his stuff convincingly centre stage but an intellectual ear would inevitably be drawn more to the harmonious melding of voice and guitar by Maddy Wilde that so skilfully supported each song. Moon King are the kind of band that might just grab you by the maracas if you were to give them the chance.
Time now to play outside in the rain. The rain, as always in this no mean city, wins again.