this year.

I headed up to Sydney the other night to attend the Sloan concert. Sloan is currently on a mini Australian tour and played two nights at the Spectrum, a bar roughly the size of a postage stamp. It’s good fun seeing bands in small venues, and this was no exception. The place was packed with a largely Australian crowd — many who had been out the previous night and came back for more. The one thing I can say definitively about the show is that it was loud. My ears were ringing after the opening song of the supporting act and I half expected to see some blood seeping out. I’ve heard loud before, but this topped them all.

Sloan played for over 90 minutes and hit most of the tunes I was looking for. They seemed to be having a good time and enjoying the Australian love. I was surprised by the number of people yelling out song titles and singing along. I didn’t get to hear Other Man, but they did close off the encore with Underwhelmed — probably one of the best songs ever written. The only downside about going to concerts in Sydney is that it’s a commitment. The last train home is at 12:10am with the next one leaving at 4:45am. It’s an all-nighter, so thankfully many establishments are keen to keep you entertained well into the morning. Photos from the show can be seen on flickr.