LIVE REVIEW: WAXFLOWER W/ ALEX MOSES & EXCUSE FOR AN EXIT @CHERRY BAR 14/2/2020
They are a band called Waxflower, from Brisbane, Australia.
‘Guided by the contagious melodies of Kisschasy, the soaring soundscapes of Jimmy Eat World and the sincerity of Slowly Slowly, Waxflower endeavours to bring a genuine and unique perspective on alternative rock. ‘
“Coming together through personal struggles with mental health and self-acceptance, we've written songs that resonate with all of us. Genuine lyrics and catchy choruses, these songs are authentically us. We hope they can become yours too.”
The stormy night and hallmark holiday didn’t stop the music fiends from rolling into Cherry Bar for a Friday night gig. It may have found a new home on Little Collins, but the spirit of the rock and roll dive bar is alive and well this Valentine’s Day. Despite being nestled within the Paris end of Melbourne, the literally scratched up old bar from AC/DC lane hung with pride of place above the new band room.
Opening act Alex Moses - who could be mistaken for a cold drip slinging Brunswick barista with his overall shorts, shaved head and glasses – brought the crowd in with some acoustic pop vibes. His first song was a sweet love story dedicated to his girlfriend which led into the punchy “Sneak Out”, a relatable story of 16 year old “midnight paradise punks”.
Alex had the crowd engaged and giggling as he told stories of stolen planes ruining his music video and Saint Valentine’s demise. He kept things simple with a guitar and his voice, allowing him to focus on the meaning behind his lyrics. The romantics in the crowd leaned together for his cover of Maroon 5’s “This Love” before he called the audience in close up for his original and final song “Feel So Young”.
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‘Delivering a unique combination of alternative rock and melodic pop’;
Excuse For An Exit are up next.
The second band of the night was Gippsland locals Excuse For an Exit. A female led punk pop band that brought back memories of Letters to Cleo rocking out in 10 Things I Hate About You with their bold opener “Manic”. A packed front row with fans clapping along in the first bars gave the band confidence to dive into their act. Their cover of late 90’s classic “Kiss Me” had young couples cuddled, swaying and singing to the familiar beats.
Between songs, lead singer Edelle Merson called on the singletons in the crowd to the front, where she presented roses for V Day. Edelle’s soft and sweet yet powerful voice had the crowd captive as she crooned “don’t say sorry, just say something true”. This was without a doubt my favourite act of the night. Excuse for an Exit are definitely ones to watch over the coming months as they have the lyrics and energy to contend for a festival slot.
Photo Credit: Liam Davidson
Waxflower didn’t quite pull the crowd you would hope for when promoting a headline tour, but still a respectable effort for an interstate band. The fact they were touring the country with only three songs released was not lost on lead singer, Tristan Higginson who commented “this is crazy!”.
They took things back to their roots for the second song of the night, noting it was the first song they had ever wrote. The boys had a well-paced set, showing they have used their time touring with bands such as Simple Plan and Stand Atlantic (who have just released their new single ‘Shh!’) to hone their skills. They filled the six song show with a grungy cover of Chasing Cars, the room warmed with a sing along from even the most unsuspecting, Metallica t-shirt wearing fan. This guy was singing along to every.damn.word.
Waxflower’s true fans were matching every lyric in their setlist with girls excitedly bouncing around the front. Front-man Tristan was confident behind the mic and has the kind of brooding look that I am sure will continue to bring the young female fans flocking to any future shows. Unfortunately, there was a couple of minor technical issues and drums dominated over the guitar and vocals, but it didn’t stop the crowd from throwing their heads back and forth to their most popular track “Back To Back”.
I think there is scope for Waxflower to expand their set and I am keen to see how they mould their show through the tour.
Photo Credit: Liam Davidson
Excuse for an Exit confirmed they will be touring soon and Waxflower still has a few shows left on this round. A happy surprise was running into the charismatic Ciarran of Baker’s Eddy after the show. It is always great to see bands supporting each other and I was wrapped to hear Bakers Eddy has some new tunes coming our way soon but I’ll leave it up to them…