Fresh off the back of their amazing Splendour performance, the Kaiser Chiefs made their way to University of Canberra’s Refectory last Wednesday to wow the Canberra crowds.
As Canberrans know, it is rare that a major act makes its way to our round-a-bout infested city, but when they do visit we reciprocate with gratitude. The audience went wild for classic Kaiser Chiefs numbers such as Ruby, I Predict a Riot and Angry Mob. Front man, Ricky Wilson, can shake one hell of a sexy tambourine and seemed genuinely interested in getting to know the audience. He adapted the songs to include local Canberra references, went into the crowd to shake hands, and made a point of thanking the warm up acts.
Speaking of warm up acts, the Kaiser Chiefs were accompanied by the Hendrix-esque sounds of Stonefield and uber indie group Papa vs Pretty.
The extremely talented Stonefield, Triple J’s Unearthed High winners from 2010, pleasantly surprised the audience by proving that they could seriously rock despite their young age. We wouldn’t want to single out a particular sister but lead guitarist Hannah Findlay particularly shone, wowing us with her electricifying guitar riffs.
The sisters were succeeded by the energetic Papa vs Pretty who sleekly presented their wares. While the boys have been around the traps for a few years now, their set had a decidedly fresh feel. Their enthusiasm was apparent and infectious. The crowd loved it when singer Thomas Rawle jumped onto the drum kit set-up and launched himself off just as quickly.
But of course it was the Kaiser Chiefs who were the main attraction, and with more than ten years performance experience they did not disappoint. The audience was captivated. Their music, movement and presence had everyone rabid with pleasure. Thanks for visiting boys, and feel free to pop back any time.
Photography by Chris Whitfield.
