The Terrys came together in Australia during Lockdown where live music was banished as part of the world-wide fear campaign. That may explain their exuberance on stage tonight.
They come from a small community in New South Wales, Gerringong. Jacob Finch singer, Lukas Anderson lead guitar and Ben Salvatori rhythm guitar. They needed a rhythm section of course, an engine for a Power Pop group, and that was Cameron Cooper drums, Trent Cooper bass.
Head Noise is the opening track off their brand-new second album Skate Pop, energetic riffs and shout-out to the Ramones Bonzo Goes to Bitburg buried in the middle. And I thought my brain/ Was turning upside down.
Zombie and Hopscotch, also off that sophomore album, are bounced out in quick succession.
The singer has a pronounced bratty Aussie accent on the studio versions. On stage he’s a bit more ragged but cuts through effectively. Whilst chugging through several cans throughout the set.
Skate Pop is their attempt at labelling their sound. They compose clever and scathingly funny Hard Pop like the initial outbreak of the Buzzcocks. Which mean they also harness the musical Indie Pop energy of the likes of the Arctic Monkeys.
Especially so on Fundamental Man. Running around with a gun in your hand. Simple rhythm from an acoustic guitar to start, and an acknowledgement to Hey Joe.
There’s an acoustic guitar on Daisy’s Drop too. They play around with Folk Pop here and portray a similar Simon and Garfunkel easy-listening skank.
There are six on stage tonight. The guy playing keyboards and percussion is introduced as Tusker. Wolves has bright keyboard tones winding through it.
Opening the show tonight are The Darlings, a new local band from Mt Maunganui.
Guitarist Amelie Marwick says they play Pop mixed with Funk, and she is correct with one of their highlights, Run for Me.
Funky wah-wah lead guitar to start, and they crib in a decent chunk of Kool and the Gang’s Jungle Boogie. The horn sound added by the keyboards.
The rest of the band. Jade Williams lead singer, Felix Bird bass, Spencer Price guitar and Zane Jurisich drums.
Crime is taken at a slower pace. The off-beat accented, and they play in an edgy New Wave manner like the early Disco-styled white Funk of Public Image Limited.
Second curtain-raiser are a trio from Perth, Death by Denim.
The sound is Pop with some harder edges. Rock guitar riffs and psychedelic elements.
Caged comes out of the cauldron of covid and enforced confinement. Their hardest rocking song in their short set, which they have channelled into New Wave energy.
A trio tonight. Nikolas Iliadis lead singer and guitar, Hamish Macarthur drums and probably George Gunson on guitars and keyboards. They are listed as a four-piece band when searching the net.
Most of their set is melodic and shimmering Pop with the singer adding some nice high tenor vocals.
They cover Harry Style’s Watermelon Sugar, their version being a minor hit in Australia. I don’t know it I could ever go without a watermelon sugar high.
Cigarettes and Honey, their own song, is even better as mellifluous psychedelic Pop song with shifting elements.
The Terrys pack close to twenty songs in just under an hour. Even though they look loose and slightly shambolic on stage, that type of playing takes discipline and precision.
In the short space of time they have been on the music scene, they have managed a European tour. These guys have serious work ethic.
The venue is about two-thirds filled tonight, but the audience get loud and raucous very quickly.
They cover most of their most recent Skate Days album. Tokyo, Troopy, Favourite Place, Clouds, all kick along at a frenetic pace.
Silent Disco is led by some precision drumming throughout. But they also throw in sharp edged guitar riffs, and generally rage in style.
The Terrys are another great little Power Pop outfit. Australia seems to produce these bands in abundance.
Rev. Orange Peel
Photography by Isabella Rose Young
The Terrys
The Darlings
Death By Denim
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