2011 was a dream year for Indie folk rockers Boy and Bear. The band from Sydney released their first album ‘Moonfire’ which won the group 5 ARIA awards that year including Breakthrough Artist, Best Group and Album of the Year. Since then, Boy and Bear have been riding a wave of success that brought them to ANU bar last Thursday to launch the tour of their follow up album ‘Harlequin Dream’ which came out in August and debuted at #1.

A jam packed house rocked with excitement from the lively crowd whose energy was rewarded by a world class set from singer song writer Dave Hosking and crew that performed hit after hit, each song as catchy as the last. It is no surprise that this 5 piece band presides in the upper echelon of the alternative music scene in Australia and, only having been together for 4 years, have accomplished so much already. Boy and Bear have relevance and longevity in the industry.

The set was a treat for the audience, who got to hear some classics from their last album and hear some of their new hits such as Three Headed Woman and Southern Sun live for the first time, which had camera flashes and smart phone screens light up the bar, everyone wanting to capture a bit of the magic on film. Couple that with the great lighting effects and use of strobing from the tech team it created an atmosphere of its own.

The distinctive vocal of Hosking is the bands signature; he creates the unique sound and style that makes Boy and Bear instantly recognizable and his delivery was flawless on the night. Another bonus for the fans was the amount of chatter and banter with the crowd who lapped up the attention with screams and cheers not only for the group, but even the roadie swapping out guitars for the boys – everyone was having a good time and it was clear to see as the positive vibe emanated across the bar. It had a laid back feel that left the feeling you were watching a couple of mates jamming in a shed, who seemed to be having just as much fun as the fans.

Boy and Bear are another fine example of where Triple J Unearthed can take a group of talented musicians and help turn them into superstars. Canberra was just the first stop in a tour that will take the boys across Australia and Europe for the next 5 months and judging from last Thursday’s performance, the dreaded ‘second album syndrome’ that plagues so many musicians hasn’t seemed to slow the momentum of the force that is Boy and Bear; Harlequin Dream has the legs to stand on its own.

Gig images by Bri Olzen