Music / Review
Review: Ocean Alley, The Marble Factory – ‘An evening of groovy bass lines and non-stop dancing’
As Monday came around once more, some people were not ready for the weekend shenanigans to stop. For Marble Factory was calling, as an evening of groovy bass lines and non-stop dancing was on the cards. But who would be delivering these gifts you might ask? None other than the psychedelic heroes themselves, Ocean Alley.
The Australian based band made their fourth stop of their UK tour at the Bristol venue, to what turned out to be a complete sell out.
Kicking off the night, the support act, Will and the People, started off strong and ended even stronger. With energy levels rising as their set went on, the crowd only cheered and applauded them more with each song. The lead singer dedicated their song Masterpiece to the drummer, as it was his birthday which proved to be very touching. As the energy become more exuberant within the members, so did their actions, with the guitarist spraying a bottle of Corona over the crowd and the lead singer nearly stage diving half a dozen times as he beat his chest as if he was a lion letting the pride know who’s in charge.
is needed now More than ever
After a forty minute break and the audience now a bit calmer, the time had come for the headliner. The lights went out and ZZ Top’s La Grange echoed through the room. As the chorus hit, the band members walked out and the applause and screams only got louder. Ocean Alley had arrived.
Ocean Alley had arrived, photo: Ben Nicholls
Baden Donegal’s distinctive voice shook the Bristol venue as the band put on one hell of a show. With guitar solos left and right and the extraordinary vocal range from the keyboardist’s harmonies, the band could not top their set. Until they started playing something familiar to any ear, but it was not one of their original songs. The crowd needed a chance to Breathe as the band started playing a Pink Floyd medley. The first song already been said, before going to Comfortably Numb and ending with Money. What did the band have in store next?
As the evening came to a close, the band performed one of their biggest tunes, Confidence. From the very first second that guitar and bass riff came through the speakers, the crowd went up another level. Audience members on shoulders, crowd surfing, Ocean Alley couldn’t get over it, so much so that the keyboardist looked to Baden and mouthed “wow” as he smiled from the reception they were giving the boys from down under. The band left the stage throwing their drumsticks and guitar plectrums into the crowd as they thanked the audience for the reception they’d received.
Main photo: Ben Nicholls
Read more: Review: Fred again…, The Marble Factory
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