It’s incredibly easy to overlook just how hard putting on a good live performance is. On top of technical ability, you need the charisma to enthral the crowd and the style to match. You need the ability to keep the music ebbing and flowing throughout the set, even when things start to go awry (Grime’s recent catastrophic Coachella comes to mind). Wollongong based alt-punk band Empure met each of these criteria when they performed at the UniBar’s Open Mic Showcase last Tuesday night. The crowd are already in high spirits before the music starts, but the energy only intensifies as the members of Empure play the opening chords to their first number ‘Stuck in the Wood’. Lead vocalist and bass player Pixie introduces the band, before the drums hit and the music fills the room. Immediately, I’m taken back to 2015, sitting in my bedroom and listening to Triple J on my Ipod radio dock. Although Empure feel more raw and authentic than acts like the once dominant Camp Cope, there’s a similar feeling that accompanies the true-to-life lyricism and home-grown sound that the band bring with them onto the stage.
Once they’ve finished their opening track they launch into a cover of ‘Are You Gunna Be My Girl’. The quintessential Jet track has been covered countless times before, but it’s not an easy one to pull off. The speedy vocals and stop-start nature of the music mean that it’s an easy song to mess up, but each of the band’s members manage to pull it off flawlessly. As they make their way through the song, they channel the cool, effortless look mastered by all punk greats. Underneath it’s clear that they’re all having such a brilliant time.
Disaster strikes after the band are done with their third track. There’s clearly been some confusion about the setlist, as the drummer and lead guitarist launch into a different track to the rest of the band. Issues like these often feel awkward for the audience, yet Empure handle it like pros, in a way that’s almost charming to watch. After a minute, the final number kicks in. Spoken word lyrics sit behind a droning, psychedelic backdrop, and as the audience are lit up in a dazzling golden-yellow it becomes clear that these guys have what it takes. There’s no doubt about it; Empure are a band to watch out for.
Image provided by: Illawarra Music Foundry
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