By Cassie Delaney.
I’ve been a Wombats fan for quite sometime. During that time I’ve always believed that Let’s Dance to Joy Division is the perfect gig opening number. It the ultimate crowd pleaser with its raw escalating and instantly recognisable guitar intro, the crash of cymbals and then the sudden snap of the snare, curtailed perfectly by the “Wooo”. Lest we forget the “Wooo”. En route to The Academy I was certain it would be the opening number. I was buzzing.
The converse clad crowd had been warmed nicely by The Minutes (told you so). Matthew Murphy skipped on stage, picked up his guitar, did one of those rock star hair flicks but instead of the raw escalating guitar intro, I heard something else. Something different. Something new. And though I didn’t instantly recognise it, I liked it.
Of course, straight after they went into Kill the Director and from then on had the crowd eating out of the palm of their hands. New material from the upcoming Modern Glitch proved to be popular with the awed audience. Anti-D was slow to start but with its simple reoccurring riffs and a reliable steady rhythmic bass, it’s sure to be another anthem for The Wombats. Its strength centres on a clean chorus of “Please allow me to be, you’re anti-depressant” – uncluttered, zesty and oddly romantic.
Never Knew I was a Techno Fan is more like the typical Wombat electro-preppy pop synth sound that we all know and love but can’t quite articulately describe. It’s going to be big for festival season. Likewise, Schumacher The Champagne has extraordinary potential for a summer Vodafone ad.
These new gems were punctuated perfectly by classic charming Wombat hits. With each familiar intro the enthused crowd moshed with an admirable gusto, seemingly committing each chooooon to their mental favourites.
Of their new material, 1996, Jump into the Fog and Tokyo (which they dedicated to Japan) were favourites. Naturally, being the bands most notable hits to date, Moving to New York and Backfire at the Disco were highlights of the evening.
The Wombats ad wooed me, but nearing the end of their 16 song set list I began to grow weary that I wouldn’t be hearing the “Wooooo”. I nderstood, they do say that rockstars often grow to hate their biggest hit and the perpetual torment of constantly playing the same song inevitably brings.
I assumed the encore therefore would be another preview of new material. Alas, for the second time that evening I was wrong. I stand by the belief that it should have been the opening number, but still, I was satisfied as the raw escalating instantly recognisable guitar intro kicked in, followed by the crash of cymbals and then the sudden snap of the snare all curtailed perfectly by the “Wooo”. Lest we forget the “Wooo”.
