Review: Marmozets at The Lansdowne
Marmozets’ frontwoman Becca Macintyre has probably never said the words “I can’t”, because if she had, she might not be here in Sydney tonight. And even if she has, thankfully she hasn’t taken herself too seriously, because she’s absolutely killing it with everything she’s got. This self-confidence ‑ although undoubtedly coming from Macintyre’s own proficiency ‑ is perhaps aided by the fact that everywhere she goes, she literally has a band of brothers in tow. You see, Marmozets – a five-piece British math-rock band hailing from Yorkshire in England – are somewhat of a family affair. Formed of siblings Becca, Sam and Josh Macintyre; in addition to another set, brothers Will and Jack Bottomley, it’s easy to understand the cohesiveness that allows these musicians to dominate in the way that they do.
Bursting out onto The Lansdowne stage on Wednesday, July 18, Marmozets waste no time before launching into their onslaught. ‘Play’, from their latest record Knowing What You Know Now, is an expeditiously-delivered number which sets the tone for the rest of the night. So with the screams, wails and heavy riffs now in full swing, the performance can truly begin. As Becca sings “I don’t dance ‘cause I want to, I dance ‘cause I need to”, the audience begins to echo that very same sentiment in their reactions – though when she says “I’m gonna die to own this room…”, there’ll be no need for that – her command is strong enough.
It’s an odd experience seeing a prominent band at a festival sideshow. While at home, Marmozets have been busy of late doing such things as playing Download’s main stage here we are, in a venue housing hundreds as opposed to thousands of fans. Later, Marmozets would go on to play yet another sideshow at Melbourne’s The Evelyn, before appearing before crowds of thousands at Byron Bay’s Splendour In The Grass.
Perhaps these more intimate shows hint at how Marmozets have risen to such an international profile – huge crowds didn’t just appear by magic overnight. Nothing was handed to Marmozets on a plate, and with that, there’s been a lot of hard graft over the past decade, and nowhere can this be better seen than at a smaller stage at an old pub. While the British music scene and, let’s be real, the world’s music scene, has often simultaneously cried out for a female hero in a rock band it has subtly insinuated that women just simply don’t belong. Becca, like other women paving the way, has been scrutinised in ways that men simply are not, and yet she’s done what she wanted to do anyway. Of course, there’s an irony in harping on about the mere fact that Becca is a woman. Surely if we want equality, we need to stop pointing the simple fact of Becca’s gender out. But to do so would be to ignore the very real challenges she’s overcome to get here. And for a rock band fronted by a female vocalist to take charge of a historically male site such as a pub stage, that’s an achievement worth celebrating.
Luckily, Marmozets don’t need to worry too much about proving something to the world. That’s a job for their music alone. If you like it – and why wouldn’t you? – that’s great, but if not - they don’t give a shit. Sure, they’re on a major label these days, but that hasn’t changed anything. Their music reflects their attitude. It’s raw, yet calculated (is that why it’s called math rock?), and this is evident in their live performance.
Rousing anthems stirred what could have been so easily a sleepy Wednesday night crowd, while intricate melodies demonstrate their versatility. And those vocals… Oh, those vocals. Becca can sing, but she knows how to truly convey emotion and tell a story in an unapologetically feral, untamed way. But this isn’t just a one-woman show, hell no! Each and every one of this lot is putting in the grunt work. You can see the heat radiating from their faces, the hunger and energy and passion of it all. Josh, on drums, becomes a madman possessed, and with that, inherently he can do no wrong.
As they make their way through this 14-song-strong set, it becomes apparent that the consistency with these guys is strong. Highlights of the night include ‘Move, Shake, Hide,’ ‘Captivate You,’ and ‘Why Do You Hate Me?’ each seemingly challenging everyone present to jump around and stop pretending to be so damn cool. This allows The Lansdowne to come into its own; a small venue at its finest, and do what it does best in offering the audience an intimate experience that they won’t soon forget. There’s even a British cohort here to show their support – chanting “Yorkshire! Yorkshire! Yorkshire!” just as the band are used to back at home. Despite Becca taking to the mic to joke that they’re actually shouting “you’re shit,” absolutely nobody here tonight could possibly think that at all.
As Marmozets’ singer – now fiercely standing with matted hair and that now-familiar attitude – belts out the lyrics to the final song’s opener (the absolute banger ‘Major System Error’), the crowd don’t need telling twice to give this show the send-off it deserves. And yes, we’re just as wild as they are.
