Pow! Friday's at Mynt Lounge

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(185 Watton Street, Werribee) are a fantastic way to unwind after a long week doing whatever it is you do all week that makes you so exhausted. Whether you go to see some great live music, have a drink with friends or dance the night away, Friday's at Mynt Lounge never fail to deliver.

Originally planned to appear on the 22nd of February were When In Roam (Melbourne) and The Run Run (Melbourne), however, The Run Run pulled out almost at the last minute because from what I have heard through the grapevine, the singer actually had the run run's. Their replacement was local Werribee boy Tim Clay, creator of musical project Kaonashi, who brought in more of a crowd than the now headlining act When In Roam.

A mutual friend of mine and Tim Clay's revealed that he put his cover set together in a few hours. Although it was merely a cover set, there is no denying the boy has talent. After he respectfully dedicated his set to The Run Run, he unveiled his smooth vocals to the crowd who appeared to get a real buzz off his performance. Moreover, his extensive vocal range as well as his flawless guitar skills impressed myself and other fellow musicians in the audience. Songs within his cover set included Songbird (Bernard Fanning), Sunsets (Powderfinger) and one of my all-time favourites, Wonderwall (Oasis). I normally cringe when I hear that someone is about to cover Wonderwall, as it is one of my favourite songs and I have an intense emotional connection to it. Although Tim had been magnificent so far, I was still worried about how well he would play it. However, I did not need to worry because unlike most other artists – amateur and professional – Tim Clay managed to pull it off. The thing I liked most about him, though, was how he managed to make every single song his own. It seemed that although you already knew the song, he enabled you to see it in a new way which was further grounded by his small and spontaneous ad-libs. Especially for a last minute artist, Tim Clay managed to really own the stage and entertain the audience. Head to www.facebook.com/kaonashiproject for more information on Tim Clay's musical project Kaonashi.

After a brisk walk to the beer garden and what I hoped would be a quick trip to the toilet between sets, I walked back into the main room where When In Roam had already begun. When I entered they seemed pretty laid back and although their music was good,
I was having a hard time hearing the instrumentation properly, mostly because the snare drum was too loud. Although this might not have been the fault of the band and instead the fault of the sound desk, it is something that I personally would get checked out. The next song then picked up which would have really given them a chance to show off their stage presence and how well they worked together – that is if half of them had a stage presence.

Those that did were Alex Hardingham (lead guitar) and Robbie Hallam (vocals and guitars). Robbie, however, did not introduce the songs well enough which is no good when a band are playing their originals, even if the songs are great. Although it isn't the main thing in a performance, the way someone acts on stage can really set the mood of the crowd. When In Roam did not really have a crowd and I feel as though an active presence would have assisted them in getting one. The lack of crowd could have been because other parts of the club were open or because they were only intended to be the opening act.

Those that were there to listen to the band and were already aware of their music before the gig were enjoying themselves, but others who did not have the sole purpose of listening to them weren't that into the music, which is where the way they act on stage would have come in handy in hooking the audience and gaining some new fans. Tyson Hutchinson (drums) seemed overly focussed on what he was doing which might permit for a good sound, but not an enthusiastic audience, and bassist Monty Rutherford just seemed to kind of be in his own little world. However, the bass lines were quite entertaining at times.

Aside from what could almost be misconstrued as half of the band lacking motivation, when you could hear the band as a whole they were tight and together and their music was catchy. The musicianship was great and the band had a good sound overall. Head to www.facebook.com/bandroam for more information on When In Roam.

If you're ever in Werribee on a Friday night and feel like socialising, get down to Pow! where you will be able to hear some great music and have a good time with your friends. Head there this week (on or off the exclusive Soundwave bus) to hear some tunes from Ian Banks and Josh Everson. Free entry before 10PM.

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