Live Review: Millions w/ Jesse Davidson, August 16 @ Goodgod
Words by Scenewave Australia - Published on August 22, 2014
Being a colossal Millions fan, I was super excited about the release of their album Max Relax. I was even more stoked that I was lucky enough to attend one of their launch shows after their brief pre-release-hiatus. There had been a lot of chatter around this release, giving the public a lot to soak in.
After a few miserable and wet Sydney winter days, I wasn’t sure what the turnout would be. Part of me (and most probably a lot of others) was tempted to stay home, under the covers and drink tea all night- but I was committed. Max Relax has certainly seen Millions wander down a different path and I was interested to see how the crowd would lap up the new sound.
Walking into the Danceteria, the drinks were flowing and the air was cool – not as cool, though, as support Jesse Davidson. The Buddy Holly look-a-like oozed with confidence – he’s made the stage his home.
Jokingly, he and his band threatened to (and did) recite the Back in Black riff until the party-poopers slumped in the booths joined the crowd on the dancefloor (props to the girl with the blue hair… your dance moves were among some of the best of the night.) Considering the weather and the early set time, the small room was impressively packed with a lively crowd. Davidson performed an excellent opening set, with beautifully written tracks such as Big Bois Gotta Eat and Ocean. It’s hard to believe that this talented musician is only just old enough to buy beer! As Jesse announced his last song with “What a fucking time to be alive!”
Millions stepped on stage uniformed in plain white trousers and matching white turtlenecks (see video below) evoking imagery of the bar from Clockwork Orange. Kicking the set off were new tracks including Agony & Ecstasy and Writing on The Wall. The psychedelic-pop-rock tunes created a feeling of lucid dreaming, and the sensation soared through the crowd, thrusting them in to a whirlpool of groovy riffs and dreamy vocals.
First single off the album, Clementine was an inevitable success. Having received extensive radio play, it’s a guaranteed crowd pleaser. The cheesy charm made me feel like we were being serenaded at an old-school dance. Along with showcasing tracks off Max Relax, old favourites like Guru, Slow Burner and Nineteen were thrown into the mix. The variation of the setlist really highlighted the metamorphosis of Millions’ music – garage-indie-rock has transformed into sleek and refined psych-pop.
An unexpected cover choice is always ace. Unchained Melody. Yep, the ‘pottery-wheel-scene-in-Ghost’ song. It was at this point in the night that every boyfriend in the crowd (including mine) became the most romantic they have ever been in their life and loudly serenaded their lucky(?) partner. It was great to hear a classic reinvented by Dom’s distinct vocals and the band’s alluring take on things.
With the fusion of the band’s on-stage charisma, ‘70’s porno-style songs’ and tight trousers galore, there was no shortage of fangirls in the crowd. I’m not joking. Not only were they sent swooning, but I have never witnessed so many stage-crashes before. I’m not sure how many times someone can run up on stage and disrupt the set by taking six selfies with the band members before it becomes a little tiring to the rest of the audience (and quite possibly the band.) Nevertheless, professionalism shone through as Millions proceeded without any qualms.
If you haven’t had the opportunity to catch these guys live, it’s a must. They’re hitting the road again in September with bris-pals Ball Park Music, details here!
Comments are closed.