Rolling Blackouts C.F. at Turf Club, St. Paul (07 Sept 2018)
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Rolling Blackouts CF at Turf Club Rolling Blackouts C.F. Setlist
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No outtages, instead an hour-long power surge—
Melbourne, Australia quintet Rolling Blackouts C.F. returned to the area, this time on the St. Paul side on the Mississippi River for a headlining show at The Turf Club. The Sub Pop-signed alternative rock band is back in the U.S., headlining clubs as part of their Hope Downs Tour, after first coming here in the spring and spending the summer in other parts of the world, and at festivals.
The band’s intro music was a deceptive bit of easy listening music, but amps were soon turned up and the bass drum throbbed as the band began their sixty-five minute set with ‘The Hammer’, playing most of the current record as the set progressed. ‘Clean Slate’ was next, another guitar-driven track with an increased tempo, and no less than three of the five members (all but the bassist and drummer) would step to the mic to sing lead vocals on at least one song, during the evening.
Guitars were often jangly in an appealing way, with the rhythm section propelling the songs on a musical walkabout, and a slightly rough and raw edge about them, not unlike early Midnight Oil albums or the first two INXS records, yet untouched by any glossy, hit-making producers (which is a good thing).
‘Exclusive Grave’ from the new record, musically bobbed and weaved, visibly catching the crowd’s ear while ‘Time in Common’ sounded like a throwback to early 80’s post-punk, with a “get in/get out” brevity to the song itself. The band remembered their previous time in the area, mentioning spending some time at the C.C. Club in Uptown, and eating at Al’s Breakfast in Dinkytown, which the crowd appreciated hearing.
The set seemed to gain even more momentum towards its end, as the mid-tempo’d ‘French Press’ seems ideal for radio airplay and the set-closing ‘Fountain of Good Fortune’ took its time to build things, starting with simple acoustic guitar and building its sound layers following, in a journeyman way.
The band returned to the stage for a single-song encore, ‘Colours Run’ which again showcased a post-punk sound against a quick beat, with guitar riffs cutting through and across the anchoring rhythm.
Where they’re from, its already tomorrow (according to the international date line anyway), and the sound of Rolling Blackouts C.F. may be a sound of the future of alternative rock’ n roll. The Melbourne band shows a lot of promise with a refreshing sound that at times, tips its hat at what came before, but sounds completely modern and is worth keeping an eye (and both ears) out for.
Remaining tour dates:
09/15/2018 Bowery Ballroom New York, NY
09/17/2018 Black Cat Washington, DC
09/27/2018 Brisbane Brisbane Festival
09/28/2018 Sydney Factory Theatre
09/29/2018 Yours & Owls Festival Stuart Park
10/05/2018 Perth Rosemount Hotel
10/06/2018 Adelaide Jive
10/12/2018 Geelong Worker’s Club
10/13/2018 Melbourne Corner Hotel
10/14/2018 Melbourne Corner Hotel
10/18/2018 Cardiff swm Festival
10/19/2018 Manchester, UK Manchester Academy
10/20/2018 Bristol, UK Simple Things Festival
10/21/2018 Leeds Stylus
10/23/2018 Brighton Concorde 2
10/24/2018 Portsmouth, UK Wedgewood Rooms
10/25/2018 Oxford O2 Academy
10/26/2018 Bilbao, Spain BIME Live
10/27/2018 Bilbao, Spain BIME Live
10/29/2018 London, UK KOKO
10/31/2018 Nantes, France Festival Soy
11/01/2018 Paris, France Pitchfork Festival
11/02/2018 Antwerp, Belgium Trix
11/03/2018 Amsterdam, NL Paradiso Noord
11/04/2018 Nijmegen Doornroosje
11/07/2018 Oslo, Norway John Dee
11/08/2018 Stockholm, Sweden Nalen
11/09/2018 Lund, Sweden Mejeriet
11/12/2018 Hamburg, Germany Molotow
11/13/2018 Cologne, Germany MTC
11/17/2018 Canberra Spilt Milk Festival
11/30/2018 Berry Showgrounds Fairgrounds Festival
12/31/2018 Langley Park, Perth Origin Fields
(click on any photo below to enlarge and see full image)
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