Slowly Slowly @ The Tivoli
Slowly Slowly are anything but slow as they Let their explosive energy take over the Tivoli.
Review and photos by Dayna West Gilmore
Short and sweet, CLEWS opened this high-energy night well, big smiles in tow and ready to play! Their crowd banter was fun and their indie rock tracks layered with sister melodies were a win in my books. Clews have been going from strength to strength with their busy schedule and Brisbane always loves a visit.
Between You and Me started at 100%. Literally leaping out onto the stage! - frontman Jake Wilson was insanely infectious, seemingly playing 90% of their set airborne: High notes and high jumps. Their spirited energy turned a still room into a bouncing one. Being their own biggest hype men and embracing a very 90s nu-metal energy… the crowd was picking up what they were putting down.
Jake Wilson jumped into the pit on the second track and poured himself into the middle barrier…. arms in the air and a strong devotion to the song ‘Goldfish’. It was exciting to watch a band with such high energy, confidence, and self-assurance. As mentioned above, it was very 90s-esque from the wide-legged jeans, to the Fred Durst-like animation – it was total fun. I went in blind tonight with BYAM and was positively surprised at their high level of stagecraft - They possess a magnetic pull that kept the crowd with them for the entirety of their 8-song set punk set. They’ve come a long way since their YouTube cover days: This Melbourne-made band is blossoming.
The shear curtain dropped to reveal a giant backdrop; Slowly Slowly in their classic white bold lettering and a set of white stairs leading to the drum rise at the rear of the stage. A mesh of bright white, purple and orange lights set the stage for SS - the band slowly took their positions and Daisy Chain blasted from The Tivoli speakers - it was the only way to kickstart their set with this being their Daisy Chain tour and all. Slowly Slowly’s stage presence was a delight to watch, their comfortable poise silked through their music and their love for performing radiated through the completely crowded venue. Moments of gratitude were sprinkled in every couple of songs, as frontman Ben Stewart maintained a close crowd relationship throughout the night, asking questions and keeping it intimate and special. After the first half of more ‘high energy’ tracks including Hold My Breath, Achilles Heel, Alchemy, and an infamous cover of Blink 182’sI Miss You (which blew the roof off with everybody belting along: Blink 182 will be making it to Aus in 2024) – the lights went low and ambient music began playing quietly on loop.
After a little while I feared that some technical issue had arisen rendering the show ‘paused’ but before too long – frontman Ben had made his way into the crowd by the FOH desk – on a little rise; with a single golden beam engulfing him and his acoustic guitar. Ben warmly gushed about the fan base and the joy it is to play to a room as crowded as this one – after only a few years of playing in smaller rooms. His gratitude met with crowd support, and he went on to play three tracks on his own: Medicine, Paper Mache and Death Proof.
The level of stage production and stagecraft as a whole tonight had been so well executed, and by inserting a level of intrigue and dynamic made for an engaging show. I really enjoyed the extra effort that was organised by the band and their team – small changes like this can keep the crowd engaged and excited and a couple of deeper cuts on the acoustic guitar in the middle of the set is a great way to showcase your band’s range and raw talent.
After the acoustic interlude, the band were straight back into it with their 15th song of the night, 2020’s Creature of Habit. Fans were excited about this track and laughed along when Ben said “bear with me; there’s a lot of words in this one” - which could be said for a few songs in this set honestly! Ben’s word and breath count is impressive, proving that he is a very able and talented vocalist. All the while maintaining his guitar playing, singing and energy through this massive 23-song setlist. After another 7 tracks, Slowly Slowly ended the night on Blueprint, their most streamed original on Spotify. The crowd gave it their final all before it was time to slowly walk out in a herd, dripping from sweat on a cold winter’s night.
