Music / Reviews
Sons of the East, O2 Academy – ‘Bold, brilliant energy’
A good friend of mine did the whole Australia thing. It must have been nearly a decade ago now. He grew his hair and beard and when I saw photos they looked salty from the surf. He picked fruit to earn his stay. He got into the music scene and passed on word of gems aplenty.
Hence I’m here among the baying fans and swaying swooners for Oz trio Sons of the East, who he “used to watch at Hotel Steyne in Manly.”
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I have to say, for a trio they look an awful lot like five people. What started “all about the harmonies” has evolved to include a session bassist and drummer for the live spectacle.
But the core is as such, front-of-stage: Nic Johnson on keys (that’s more than a bit reductive; he’s a certified all-rounder), Dan Wallage on lead guitar, and Jack Rollins on rhythm guitar and lead vocals.
Those foundational melodies remain in gorgeous oodles on a set of tunes that increasingly swell to big acoustic crescendos. There’s a Mumford & Sons sensibility at play here — fitting flattery for a band that’s clearly fine-tuned its compositions over the years.
A fellow gig-goer turns to me and says “There’s not enough harmonica around nowadays.” A fair comment, but not one you can levy at Sons of the East. Rollins fastens the feature to his sternum and works sonorous fills into various tracks.
I usually discard mention of Dylan as tired and trite, but there’s some base to it here. The croaky, emotive vocals are especially pertinent on Inappropriate Behaviour, where Rollins swooshes his shirt back and leans into the mic, crooning, oozing charm.
These guys blend country, folk and indie with brilliant ease. Every tempo change prompts people to gravitate a touch closer. Other big winners include California from their eponymous 2013 EP and On My Way from Palomar Parade — a record jam-packed with toe-tappers and melodic turns.
Slow piano creeps in to meet bold, purple lighting for Into the Sun. It’s nice. It’s really nice. It marks one of few occasions where Nic Johnson takes the lead. He’s got talent by the bucketload, offsetting Rollins’ gruff vocals with welcome emotional clarity.
An already impressive discography is complemented by a delicious cover of Millionaire. Rollins channels Kelis and 3000 with aplomb, backed beautifully by Wallage’s wavering guitar twangs and Johnson’s aching falsetto.
Closing out, the band are joined on stage by Pat Burgener, their very vibesy support artist for this leg of the tour. Burgener’s an Olympic snowboarder, no less, and switches the clips for bare feet to deliver acoustic numbers — part grand and part grounded — before the main event.
Sons of the East sit pretty at the crossroads of easy listening and all-out boogie. They bring bold, brilliant energy to the stage, delivering track after track with the sort of confidence you expect from veterans.
Frankly, I’m thankful that friend did the Australia thing.
I’m thankful this trio’s now on my radar.
They’re watertight, warming, and an awful lot of fun.
All photos: Sam Fletcher
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