Eleventh He Reaches London (WA)

w/ sleepmakeswaves (Syd), Encircling Sea and Fourteen Nights at Sea

The Tote, Melbourne – Saturday 2nd October, 2010

The crowd sat together as one on the broken couch and grimy stairs circling the stage, a slight hum of activity emanated through the PA, set upon a dimly light stage as post-rock band Fourteen Nights At Sea set the scene for an amazing evening with 30 minutes of poetry in motion. The band delightfully crafted intensely emotive music, set up by a primordial drumbeat or simple opening riff from an upside down guitar which ultimately left a small but building audience enthralled.

Sludge/doom metal band Encircling Sea played next and followed up with once again an intense, albeit chaotic set containing exactly one song of epic proportions. The band features members from great Melbourne bands such as the now defunct Worms of the Earth, and These Hands Could Separate the Sky, and these influences and talents were on display as again the audience appreciated the vessel on display with rounding applause.

Continuing the no doubt accidental nautical themed band name trend was Sydney’s exceptional post-rock band sleepmakeswaves. A regular and much loved visitor to the south, this nights crowd were relieved when some minor technically difficulties were overcome if nothing more than to get the Collingwood theme song to stop filtering through from the door to the front bar after the AFL team’s grand final win on the night. The focus immediately returned to the music however as once again the emotion from a bands music flowed freely through the now quite packed out band room. Previewing new tracks and reviving old favourites, the precision and focus of the band to their craft was on display with exacting clarity, and the crowd’s support was repaid in full with the band all but declaring their undying love for the city.

As if the night hadn’t already produced enough inspiring performances for the weekend, headliner for the night, Perth’s amazing Eleventh He Reaches London, topped it off with a simply brilliant set of Australia’s finest misery infused rock. Predominantly playing tracks from their recent album Hollow Be My Name including the epic album closer For the Commonwealth and the Queen, the band also offered up a new track which showed nice prog influences underneath their bleak rock outlooks. Ian Mountain, front man and one of the three guitarists in the band, was utterly captivating as he fed off the electric atmosphere in the room with as intense a vocal delivery as you’re likely to see. Hearing closer track ‘Swarming’ live with a quality mix was stunning, and really delivers justice to the track which suffered from fairly poor production on their debut album.

And with that, as all good gigs seem to feel, it was over almost before it had begun, with Eleventh having to all but force their way off stage as the crowd pressed for an encore that was not forthcoming. Now we all must wait again with an excruciating wait for the next time the band makes the long trek east to enthrall once again.

sleepmakeswaves Setlist
to you they are birds, to me they are voices in the forest*
a gaze as blank and pitiless as the sun*
we sing the body electric
in limbs and joints
one day you will teach me to let go of my fears

* denotes working title

Eleventh He Reaches London Setlist
I am the Bearer, I Stand in Need
*new song* (email us if you know its name!)
Hollow Be My Name
For The Commonwealth and the Queen
Swarming