Whilst the southern hemisphere basque in their balmy summer temperatures, one of the hottest rising acts from the region heads to the not so tropical North of England.
There seems to be somewhat of a renaissance in the Aussie indie/rock scene at present. And as such we’ve seen a huge influx of Antipodean acts hitting our UK shores over the last few years with the likes of the DMA’s, King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard and Amyl and the Sniffers making big waves on our small island.
Hailing from the Sunshine Coast of Queensland, Australia – The Chats arrive this evening at the Riverside in Newcastle. That is Newcastle-upon-Tyne not to be confused with our neighbours several thousand miles away in Newcastle, NSW. This show being part of an extensive UK tour that has seen the band sell out most of the dates on this run. Tonight’s show on Tyneside is no exception to that rule, with all of the tickets long since been sold out.
It’s always a special occasion when you see a band with as much buzz about them as The Chats play an intimate show whilst on their way up the ladder. You know it’s going to be one of those much talked about nights or ‘I was there gigs’ for years to come, and that’s certainly the case tonight. The anticipation at fever pitch as the band takes to the stage to an intro tape featuring rock legends Queen.
Of course, pub rock is a staple part of the music scene Down Under, and tonight’s show gives the North East crowd a taste of this much loved Aussie scene. Immediately The Chats go to task, as they plough their way through the likes of Nambored, How Many Do You Do and Mum Stole My Darts at the top of the set. The band kick off the show with much energy and enthusiasm, and the crowd react accordingly with crowd surfing and pogoing from the off.
The Chats are currently getting ready to release their debut album, and as such, the setlist gives the crowd a taste of what is to come along with singles and tracks from the band’s previously released pair of EP’s. With twenty songs on the setlist, and under an hour time slot, the band certainly aren’t messing around – tonight The Chats mean business.
The beauty of The Chats is that their songs are not only incredibly catchy but they are also very relatable. A lot of their material is filled with tales about everyday life, there is no deep or hidden meaning – each song does what it says on the tin, so to speak. Whether you are going down the pub with your mates for a few beers and a bite to eat, have been subject to online fraud, run out of bus money or sitting down for a cigarette break – we’ve all been there, done that and got the t-shirt. Although we did have to look up the translation of a ‘Smoko’ with regards to the latter, but I digress.
Each song in tonight’s setlist whips the crowd into a mosh pit inducing frenzy. The band’s tried and tested punk rock-tinged formula of short but sweet tracks (each under three minutes long), frantic fuzz fuelled guitar riffs, heavy bass grooves and tight drum lines strikes a chord with the Geordie audience. Tonight there is no lull in the band’s fast and furious setlist, it’s back to back bangers from start to finish. However, The Chats save the best till last with anthems including Identity Theft, Pub Feed and Better Than You closing out their high octane set.
On the strength of tonight’s show, we would argue that The Chats are Australia’s best export to the UK since Fosters larger or Kylie Minogue. Expect big things to come from the three-piece when their debut album drops in the not too distant future.
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