I Just Read About That…

[ATTENDED: November 11, 2024] Pond 

I saw Pond here six years ago and it remains a memorable show for me, primarily because I got a great close up of lead singer Nick Allbrook as he was about to lean into the crowd.

I’m not sure why I didn’t go to see  them in 2019 or 2022, when they played Underground Arts–I assume Allbrook was just wandering around the crowd at that show given how interactive he was with us at Union Transfer.

When they announced this tour, I was interested but also a little unsure (again, I’m not sure why, had I forgotten how much I enjoyed their last show?)

So, when they came on stage, I wasn’t exactly sure what to expect.  Allbrook didn’t have make up on like last time, but he was immediately and amazing frontman–dancing, getting close to the edge of the stage, and engaging fully with the audience.

When I saw them last time, all I really knew about them was that they were connected to Tame Impala and the few songs I listened to were really good.  [Allbrook was a touring member with Tam Impala until 2013, but Pond is far beyond any mention of Tame Impala].

They opened with a slow number called Daisy from their 2019 album Tasmania (which I don’t know at all).  The song picks up into a bouncier, synthy number and it was a good opportunity to check out what the band was doing. 

James Ireland on drums in the back and was a ton of fun to watch.  Jamie Terry was on a platform in the back where he played bass (his bass sound was amazing) and keys.  And on the far side from me was Joe Ryan (with his great curly hair) on guitar and keys and anything else.

In front of me was Jay Watson who plays keys and guitar (sometimes at the same time).  He also switched to drums for a few songs at the end of the set.

After the slower opener, they played two rocking songs from the new album, with “Neon River” being especially exciting.

BY this time, Nick Allbrook had on several occasions, stepped from the stage to the barrier (not a small area, mind you) to stand on the barrier and high five any and all takers–all while singing.  Later on, when I saw that he was wearing boots with virtually no traction, I was quite impressed by this acrobatic feat.

They only played a couple of songs from their album 9 (the funky America’s Cup sounded great) and only played two songs from The Weather (the album I know best).  It turns out that between the previous show and this show, they had released three albums.  Perhaps as a result there was almost no repeats between these two shows.  This is cool of course, although I would have happily heard 30,000 Megatons.  But when they played that opening fuzzy synth of Sweep Me Off My Feet, we all went pretty crazy.

On two songs Allbrook played the flute, something I had forgotten about.  I do love flute in a rock song and Allbrook’s little solos added a lot of fun to the set.

Then they returned to the new album for a while (we’ve got a new album out, you know).  “So Lo” is another great funky number, reminding me a lot of 80s Bowie.  They followed it was the great rifftastic Black Lung.  They slowed things down with Constant Picnic and then introduced End of the World Pt 3.  I has seen Pts 1 and 2 last time and while I like those parts better (since I know them more), this eight minute epic is a great continuation of the end of the world.

When he announced the next song, “Human Touch,” Nick came over to our side of the crowd and stepped across to high five everyone.  I put my hand up and he leaned on me to help himself scoot across the barrier.  I was impressed by the confidence he had in himself and us, that we wouldn’t let him fall (I wasn’t expecting him to lean on me) before he moved on.  And yup, I was giddy to have been a part of it.

They didn’t play too many deep cuts, although they did play two songs from 2013’s Hobo Rocket.  The slow, heavy Aloneaflameaflower (that features a wild jamming freak out in the middle in which Joe Ryan got to show off a bit) and a few songs later, they played crowd favorite Giant Tortoise, with its great guitar riffs.  In between was the super catchy Paint Me Silver (The Weather is such a good album) which shows off what a great singer Allbrook is.

They ended the set with the surprisingly mellow Toast–but it was a toast to the audience for coming out on a night when the Eagles were playing.

Then they left for an encore break.  After a few minutes they returned with the opening track from their 2012 album, Fantastic Explosion of Time.  Old school fans were pretty psyched to get this cut.  They followed it with “Hang A Cross On Me,” from the deluxe edition of 9.  I’m surprised that it’s only on the deluxe edition because it is funky and it rocks–and features some great sing along opportunities.   Before the song Allbrook said that it features spoken word from Cowboy John, a local Perth legend who would sell his CDs on the streets.  Cowboy John died in 2023, and so they dedicated the song to him and told us that if we listened carefully we could hear his voice from on high.

They ended with an explosive track from their first album (Psychedelic Mango) called Don’t Look at the Sun or You’ll Go Blind (which they also played last time and it was even better this time as a show ender).

Pond was such a fun show, I really don’t know why I would have not gone the previous two times they were in town.  But at the same time I can;t imagine them on a small stage like Underground Arts.  They are a ton of fun live!

 

2024	2018
Daisy ⊥	30,000 Megatons ≅
(I’m) Stung ⊗	Waiting Around for Grace ⇔
Neon River ⊗	Sweep Me Off My Feet ≅
America’s Cup ∇	Fire in the Water ≅
Sweep Me Off My Feet ≅	Zen Automaton ≅
So Lo ⊗	Don’t Look at the Sun or You’ll Go Blind ♥
Black Lung ⊗	Sitting Up On Our Crane ⇔
Constant Picnic ⊗	Paint Me Silver ≅
Edge of the World, Pt. 3 ⊗	Edge of the World, Pt. 1 ≅
Human Touch ∇	Edge of the World, Pt. 2 ≅
Aloneaflameaflower Ψ	Giant Tortoise Ψ
Paint Me Silver ≅	The Weather ≅
Giant Tortoise Ψ	encore
Toast ∇	Midnight Mass (At the Market St. Payphone) Ψ
encore	Holding Out for You ⇔
Fantastic Explosion of Time ♣	Man It Feels Like Space Again ⇔
Hang a Cross on Me ∇
Don’t Look at the Sun or You’ll Go Blind ♥

 

⊗ Stung (2014)
∇ 9 (2021)
⊥ Tasmania (2019)
≅ The Weather (2017)
⇔ Man It Feels Like Space Again (2015)
Ψ Hobo Rocket (2013)
♣ Beard, Wives, Denim (2012)
♥ Psychedelic Mango  (2009)