check out the photos of the gig

GOTA COLA:

Gota Cola are two chics, one on guitar, one on bass, both sharing the vocals; and a bloke on drums. The first song was relatively instrumental, bit of guitar over a fairly basic rhythm section. During the second song, however, the effects came into use. A lot of interesting noises and arrangements came out, mostly through delay, echo and doing weird things to the guitar itself I think. I was going to wander elsewhere to chatter to friends while still listening, but I couldn't drag myself away. I stayed for the entire set, I couldn't not.

They were amazing. While the music was largely slowish instrumental, the sounds they got, the combinations of sounds they got, together with the fact that it was all live - you could see them getting the sounds - was truly captivating. The music was something else again. Even the vocals had effects on them, and there were some really weird and wonderful sounds coming from the stage.

During one song the bassist swapped her bass for a korg keyboard, and in another the guitarist had a fiddle with the rhodes - which, needless to say, was also being run through an effects pedal.

To listen to without watching maybe it might not have been much, because it was largely slowish and instrumental, rather floaty sounds, at times making me think a bit of the band Air although don't ask me why. But to watch, and to see that every single sound you're hearing is being played live, by only three people mind you, one of whom is the drummer, is the sort of stuff that leaves you wanting to see more of them.

CROOKED FINGERS:

Crooked fingers are american - and you can tell. In some ways they reminded me a lot of blue rodeo, although the latter are canadian. Both consist of blokes that are way too old to be rockstars but who still think they've got what it takes, including rockstar poses, rockstar mannerisms, and belting out a voice that's far from rock. The music was very american has-been rocker, even at one point getting a cover of under pressure or whatever the dickens it's called. Was really quite tragic.

SOMETHING FOR KATE:

This performance of something for kate was somewhat different to the last one for possibly several reasons. The area fenced off as stage and surrounds for tonight's show was as big as the entire room they played to last time. Maybe the feel of the large room, large crowd, large sound influenced my perception. They seemed to just be going through the motions last time - maybe they don't like playing small rooms, or maybe they weren't in the mood, or maybe it was just me. The style of show was definitely different tonight though. the acoustic set was limited to one song - there was no beautiful sharks singalong, something which I'd be keeping to small venues and possibly they do to. the sound seemed a lot more energetic and a lot more rocky tonight but as said, it could just be the larger room, but the inclusion in the encore of REM's the one I love makes me think it was definitely a large room show tonight.

The sound was a lot better tonight, at least from where I was standing (right in front of the speaker stack...) - I could hear the keyboards and second guitar, and one lot of backing vocals - all which were missing the first time around. Pip Branson (canberra boy) got the violin out for a song from the first SFK record, which sounded great.

I'm not sure which something for kate show I prefer, the large or the small, but they each have their merits. I think the larger show definitely suits the general sound of the band, they seem to be a little too predictable for smaller shows, but the small room acoustic set is definitely worth seeing.

Overall I came away loving gota cola, deciding I don't like old guys who try to be 21, and regaining a different appreciation for something for kate live.

SETLISTS:

GOTA COLA:

CROOKED FINGERS; SFK:

no bloody idea.