FULL FLOWER MOON BAND, SUNFRUITS
THE TRIFFID, BRISBANE
SATURDAY, 23 MARCH 2024
A palpable buzz is in the air at The Triffid tonight. To put it simply, local heroes Full Flower Moon Band are so hot right now and they've been touring their wares. There's hometown pride practically dripping from the roof and, subsequently, a sense of homecoming for this show, the launch of new single 'West Side'.
Sunfruits are a pretty vibrant five-piece psyche-pop from Melbourne. We can't think of a more perfect support for tonight's show and we might even go so far to suggest that they just might be the Melbourne equivalent of our headliners in terms of vibrancy, ambition and status. Frontman Winter McQuinn pulls no punches, but does pull heaps of shapes with his guitar. Pouty and bouncy, he leads the crew through a sharp and frankly, fantastic set of thumpers that are only slightly more punk than the early days of The B-52's. To call him the "leader" though, truly undermines the other band members - drummer Eugene Argiro actually lends vocals to a lot of the set, while guitarist Evie Vlah on stage left probably has already signed a deal for her own Guitar Hero endorsement. There's very light choreography, plenty of pop melodies through a couple of new tunes scattered throughout their set comprised solely of songs from 2023's One Degree album. And they ALL sing! Why aren't there more bands like this?!?! The less punk and more bouncy Beatle-esque 'Believe It All' closes the set and sends a Triffid-full of new fans into the next set with smiles.
The room fills quickly for Full Flower Moon Band and we watch as the band set up their own gear before
their set, adding to their relatable, down to earth vibes. When they leave the stage and reemerge to crack into the epic ‘NY-LA’, it’s clear why they chose to open with this song. It feels like they’re telling the story of their recent tour – but as the lyrics predict, always returning home to Brisbane. The lyrics double as a genius and endearing marketing ploy – "If everyone buys a t-shirt, we can play the Tivoli!"
There is a feeling in the audience that everyone is behind this band a hundred per cent. After being on tour for the last month, this show is a triumphant return to home turf, and the vibe in the room is one of support and enthusiasm. The eruptive crowd ride the wave of enthusiasm, with many jumping up to crowd surf or take photos from the shoulders of a friend. Kudos to the dude who was left crowd surfing between songs, but also kudos to Babyshakes Dillon who deftly acknowledges this moment and made it a little less #awkward.
The band are an extension of the ‘we are all just friends here’ vibe – there's clearly a great connection between the band members and this is reflected in the way they play together. We're next launched into 'Power', an anthem detailing the power and lust of chance encounters with potential conquests and 'Meet Ya', a song detailing the roller coaster of being in a relationship. These songs appear to be an insight into the mind of songwriter Dillon's experiences of life and love. Just another reason why she's so easy to connect with - these are human stories we all understand.
There's no denying just how electric Full Flower Moon Band are, with a familiar sound that isn't completely original. They combine grungy, droning guitars that echo the '90’s with a singer whose voice could be occasionally compared to Karen O’s. What they do have, however, is a fierce front woman who is an absolute original. Babyshakes Dillon is an intimidating and charismatic woman of admiration and power who oscillates between a boot stomping, guitar slaying, microphone burning rock warrior – to then addressing the crowd comfortably and humorously, like she is talking with a bunch of old friends. It is hard to know if this is a performance, or if this is just her being herself and sharing this moment with you and the rest of the crowd, having the time of her life. Authenticity is her superpower.
Their new single and tour namesake opens with the kind of throbbing, droning guitar power that sways and grinds like insatiable lovers, hungrily devouring each other in the dark. There is a lilting yodel in Babyshakes voice that rides the scale from high to low and back again, recalling to mind Max Sharam’s 'Coma'. The recorded version doesn’t quite do the new single justice – it cranks with that less than glorious Spotify compression, but absolutely slays in real time.
This might just be the overall way to sum up Full Flower Moon Band's live show - it's a massive interpretation of the songs they capture in the studio. Diesel Forever album opener and set highlight 'Highway' lands about halfway before some unreleased material 'Come And Be', 'Kiss Him' and 'Devil'. If this is new stuff, we're in good hands. It's ear worms from here on in - the ridiculously infectious 'Hurt Nobody' is the hookiest damn thing you'll hear all week and lastly, 'Roadie', an explanation perhaps as to why they were setting up their own gear. Something else new, 'Man Hands' is the encore that's not exactly an encore, but it is the finale and it sees Dillon dishing a vulnerable solo offering. Onstage, Full Flower Moon Band are outstanding and if this is an energy and a sonic beast which can be unleashed on future recordings, the music has a huge chance of capturing hearts and minds the world over.