LIVE REVIEW: DAPHNE @ THE RETREAT (SUPPORTING HOT GLUE + GANGZ) 11/5/22
Written by Laney Morgan
Photos by Julia Enter
It was a good thing for those who attended Daphne’s gig as supporting act for Hot Glue and Gangz at the allegedly haunted Retreat last Wednesday that we were in the cozy band room, as it was a blisteringly cold May night in Melbourne.
Well, it was a cold night for yours truly, who has thin Queensland blood running through her veins.
However, my mind was quickly taken off the cold, and my rookie error to not secure a pint pre- show, by Daphne’s second-ever performance as a band which was nothing short of sublime.
Named after lead singer and rhythm guitarist Ben Trotter’s Daphne Blue guitar, Daphne are alternative rock groovers and good pals Ben, bass guitarist Hughie Gibson, drummer Tom McMullin and lead guitarist Harry Doust.
Schoolmates Harry, Tom and Ben all hail from Ballarat, yet now call the inner north home. The deep south has stolen Hughie away but he is still an inner northian at heart.
The band has only ever played one other show a few months ago at The Workers Club. The boys donated the profits from merchandise sales - caps made by Ben - to Kids Undercover, a charity which helps combat youth homelessness.
But smash cut to Wednesday night, where we die-hard fans stood in the Retreat’s band room, donning thick woolen scarves and clasping pints.
They launched straight into ‘Annie and Family’ - very early Echo and the Bunnymen era - with soft green and yellow lighting framing the three very tall pillars of boys. It should be mentioned that the soundie at the back was having the most fun out of anyone, tucking into a roast dinner and bobbing his head.
Following Ben’s acknowledgment of country, they turned to ‘Lonely Bones’. The vocal intro of this track emitted slight ‘Ever Fallen in Love’ by The Buzzcocks vibes - another great all-male foursome. Despite the upbeat start, the lyrics soon reflected potentially darker themes - ‘it’s not like me to ask a friend for help’. Harry performed a euphoric solo and the musicianship between him and Ben was palpable; they stood facing each other, connected and very at ease and content.
‘Switchblade’ had a jangly guitar start, increasing the bopping and swaying by those standing in front of me. The boys were having such immense fun - they constantly stole smiles and reassuring glances at each other and always looked back at Tom watching over them. Hughie also definitely mastered the bass player funky head bop referenced by Jack Black in School of Rock. When performing, Ben had a look of serenity and composure on his face, yet then flashed a cheeky grin as soon as the song finished.
Ben’s grin mirrored Alex DeLarge’s infamous smile which funnily enough was displayed on his t-shirt. He also endearingly apologised between songs for his self-proclaimed inability to multi-task - ‘Sorry, I can’t tune and talk’.
‘Set Free’ started solely with Ben’s soft vocals and guitar. I have a suspicion that this track deals with post lockdown disillusion and holding a fervent desire to embrace life after the last two years of loss and upheaval. The lyrics poignantly implored us to both give and receive love as an antidote for the feeling that we lost a good chunk of our glory days over lockdown.
The second last song, ‘Escape’, had a very Strokes-infused opening. The tune dealt with the bittersweet feeling that arises when summer ends. A member of the Ballarat army at the front, who was wearing one of Daphne’s hats, remembered the lyric ‘So I’ll keep chasing the brightest seasons’ and sang passionately along. This prompted all around him to express a collective ‘Awww’ at his wholesomeness. This was a gig where everyone knew each other - and you could tell.
The band closed with ‘Hold On’ - my favourite. Ben’s vocals repeating ‘hold on, cause I won’t be long’, coupled with Harry’s sliding guitar and Tom’s measured, gentle drumming reminded me a little of ‘Good Boy’ by Millie.
The crowd erupted at the end of the set. A member of the bustling Ballarat army aptly chanted for one more song, but Ben just flashed his pearly whites and urged us to stay for
Hot Glue and Gangz.
So, watch out for Daphne.
They’re dreamy, charming, and the inner northern suburbs’ alt-rock 2022 answer to The Beatles, but with infinitely better hair - and hopefully no Lennon-McCartney rivalry.
However, I’m very sorry that they didn’t follow through on their pre-show promise to perform naked in an ode to Iggy Pop, but I guess there’s always next time.