The Grates and The Preatures

I was so excited to go see The Grates. They opened up with the song Trampoline. The singer bounced around dancing all over in a while dress and black belt, with a pretty big red flower in her hair. She swayed her hips as she sang, clapping her hands over her head. At one point, she straight up barked into the mic! I'm pretty sure she is nuts! She also sang Aw Yeah, one of my favorites.

They tend to do a lot of break up songs, though. They're an indie band from Australia, and have released a few albums. I only know them a bit, so seeing them was a surprise gift from my boyfriend, since their shows are always sold out. I'm a pretty big fan of their singles, but I never thought I'd see them live. I really like the songs Burn Bridges, Turn me On, Sweet Dreams, and my favorite album is Black Dog Black Dog. I also saw their DVD, Til Death Do Us Party: Live At The Forum. But I was really never expecting to see them live at all. I'm so glad I did, the energy was wonderful, and I hope to see them again!

The Preatures: Metro Theatre, Sydney, Saturday 19 July 2014 Review by Toby Forage Ever since hearing "Is This How You Feel" on the radio in 2013, I'd been dying for The Preatures to come home again and play a show. It seems the rest of Sydney felt the same, a sold out Metro Theatre evidence of that if it were needed. So did it live up to my expectations? After many rounds of dancing around the living room and other spaces to the tunes on the EP of the same name, I can safely say it did, and Isabella Manfredi's performance was also everything I'd hoped for. From the get-go she was sassy, sexy, the very essence of the modern female rock star. At times I had flashbacks to Chrissy Amphlett's pomp. This was a great show. All the hits got a run, from the aforementioned "Is This How You Feel," to the infectiously brilliant "Better Than It Ever Could Be." Gideon Benson sang his lungs out on Dark Times, the band’s soul-inspired cracker, and just when you thought it couldn’t get better than it could be, the five-piece ripped a cover of The Angels classic "Am I Ever Gonna See Your Face Again," sending the Metro crowd into a fabulous frenzy. Some new tracks were given an airing as Manfredi revealed the band had “almost” finished its debut album, due out later this year, and it’s sounding like one to listen out for. While the sound was far from perfect at the front of the crowd, there were some audible highlights. Benson and Jack Moffitt’s guitars sounded magnificent, even if they were a little high in the mix, and Manfredi’s vocals, when they did cut through the noise of the guitars, were excellent, along with the intensity of her overall performance. It’s easy to see why The Preatures continue to garner fans at home and abroad, and let’s hope they’re back again for more shows off the back of the release of what will hopefully be a smashing debut album.