Copy Haho

It’s not very often that you go to a rock gig and have to cram closer to the stage just to hear the band playing. Tonight, however, solo artist Debutant is that quiet. Bathed in effects - chorus, reverb, delay, slow attack - Phillip Quirie's guitar is designed to create a distinctly otherworldly presence. The vocals are few and far between, and they too are drenched in reverb, rendering them incomprehensible. Yet, in spite of this lack of volume, the room is transfixed.

Debutant's solemn showing sets the stage for eagleowl who, despite sporting a similarly understated style, largely dispense with effects and strip their brand of folk down to its bare bones; Clarissa Cheong's thundering double bass offering the most obvious audible difference. But, despite the increase in volume, eagleowl fail to capture the audience’s ear with the same rapture as Debutant, and many seem to lose interest.

Headliners Copy Haho offer a more compelling proposition. The quartet are all skilled musicians, with drummer Rikki Will showcasing some impressively speedy high-hat work while lead guitarist Stuart McIntosh's riffs and licks casually stroll on the high strings. Bassist Richard Scott plays with the audience, dragging his radio lead along behind him like a dogless leash. Scott quickly discovers, however, that this is not always the most practical party piece when an audience member steals his woolly hat mid-set. Keeping the use of overdrive to a commendable minimum, the melody of the lead guitar flirts with the vocal line atop the rhythm section's sturdy sonic platform.

Unfortunately, many of Copy Haho's songs prove distinctly unmemorable. There are a few stand-out tunes close to the end of the set that get the crowd going, but even these fail to compensate fully: penultimate number "Pulling Push Ups", for example, employs an adroit bass breakdown that, for all its charm, only serves to make the evening's lack of dynamism all the more apparent.