Photos by: The Sauce
There’s something about the tradition of Australian alt-rock that feels so inherently relaxing, even when the music itself is reaching climactic altitudes. There’s perhaps no better example of what I mean than Ocean Alley, a six-piece from the Northern Beaches that has continued to take the world by storm since 2013.
Before the Ozzies took the stage at the sold-out Theatre Beanfield on August 25th, we were treated to a set from Brooklyn-based band Juice. Funky, tight, and offering incredible energy to the already vibrating crowd, Juice was a smash-hit of an opener. They took us through an incredible set of dancy tracks, featuring violin (and a killer rap verse) courtesy of Christian Rose, unflappable drums from Miles Clyatt, and a truly jaw-dropping performance by lead singer Ben Stevens. After such a refined, energizing set, we were primed and ready for our main act.
From the instant lead singer Baden Donegal and his troupe walked on, there was a feeling of total joy emanating from the stage. After erupting into a classic cut from 2016, “Lemonworld,” with no preamble whatsoever, Donegal addressed the crowd: “Hi Montreal, happy to be back!” He went on to explain that this was their first-ever sold-out show in the city, something they were clearly thrilled about.
The feeling was mutual. It wasn’t long before Ocean Alley sunk into “Knees,” one of their most popular (and singalong-worthy) numbers. The crowd was more than happy to oblige, chanting along to the hook as Donegal’s hair-raising vocals soared above us. We carried on this way, grooving in place and feeling an overwhelming sense of positivity radiating from the band and reflecting right back from everyone that surrounded us.
After an electric set of restrained, yet utterly expansive psychedelic, reggae-inspired rock, the crowd burst into cries for an encore. Seemingly overwhelmed by the excitement, Ocean Alley returned for just a little while longer. Someone passed a joint up to guitarist Mitch Galbraith, which he puffed and passed back to the front row, all while shredding it in the most relaxed possible way.
The overall highlight though was when a New Balance sneaker was passed all the way to the front, a tall-boy can of overpriced beer seated squarely inside. A perfect example of the warmth and acceptance of the evening, Donegal eventually succumbed to the old Australian tradition of the shoey, pouring the beer into a stranger’s shoe and crushing it in one go, all with the biggest smile on his face.
