No Questions, Magpie, Elkie Kershaw - Talk To Me live at The Tote
Future-rock virtuosic two-piece No Questions launched their debut single Talk To Me this past Friday at The Tote Hotel in Collingwood. Joined by Magpie and Elkie Kershaw, the upstairs bandroom was a buzz with new noise and creativity.
Taking the opening spot was Lutruwita/Tasmania born, Naarm/Melbourne based artist Elkie Kershaw.
Dabbling in emo, indie and folk - Elkie is a storytelling singer-songwriter. Backed by her fantastic band The Distant Relatives, Elkie weaves speak-sung vocals over soft guitar.
While her recent EP I Fear I’ve Disappeared is entirely stripped back and acoustic, the live arrangements of the tracks are elevated into something powerful and huge.
Favourite tracks include opener Everything’s Alright and the brilliant reflection on growing up that is Fourteen.
A steadily growing storyteller and a powerful performer armed with a unique way with words, I’m very much looking forward to more releases from Elkie Kershaw.
Next on the bill was Naarm three-piece surf punks Magpie.
Sounding like a thrashier combination of C.O.F.F.I.N and The Ramones, Magpie rock hard and joke harder - disarming listeners with a bit of classic Melbournian humour.
Call and response hilarity was the name of the game on tracks like Last Chance Alley (Cocaine) and punk rock rebellion was in full form in Uniform and Pine Gap, a roast of the controversial joint Australian-American surveillance base in the Northern Territory.
A high energy cover of The Sweet’s Ballroom Blitz stirred up the moshpit, while Tattoo became my personal favourite.
Despite the name - Magpie won’t quite swoop you, but they sure will get your adrenaline pumping.
After dropping their otherworldly single Talk To Me that day Naarm band No Questions were ready to celebrate and show off exactly how dope they are.
Stylised as No?, the band is a true enigma. A two-piece, technical, magical mix of heavy rock and out-there sounds. Brimming with creativity and surrealism, Talk To Me is just the tip of the iceberg,
@noquestionsband’s new single Talk To Me. Stream here.
Head over here to check out our review of the track.
Bandmates Adyn Young and Ben Lebbos play guitar and drums respectively, but to describe them as just two instruments is a total understatement.
Adyn plays both standard and fretless guitars, combined with a wash of insane effects - transcending the traditional sounds of rock guitar and becoming something far stranger. Often jumping from atmospheric pads to heavy riffs within a bar, it’s hard to pin down exactly what he’s doing with the axe - but it’s the most creative approach to the instrument I’ve ever seen.
Likewise, Ben has a totally original approach to the drum kit. Working in both metal and electronic worlds at once in a tight and sharp style. Using drum triggers and a sample pad Ben compliments Adyn’s playing with equally technical yet reserved rhythms as well as playing the basslines with his mysterious methods.
Tracks Hazel Eyes and We’re All We Are stood out as killer original material, yet a creative take on classic Black Sabbath tune War Pigs made for a standout in terms of creativity.
King Gizzard thrasher Mars For The Rich made an appearance as well, complete with a guest vocalist, but the highlight really was the single Talk To Me, so good I wanted to hear it a second time.
Overall a great night for live music, No Questions successfully launched their first official release, and the news that more is on the way makes this listener ecstatic with anticipation.
All photos taken by Cleo Tuke @patracore