From the first few electrifying guitar riffs and thumping bass drum beats, it’s clear to see Stonefield must have grown up on a diet of classic Sixties and Seventies rock’n’roll, because they are definitely too young to have heard it the first time around.
The Triple J darlings first came to Australia’s attention in 2010 when they won the national youth broadcaster’s Unearthed High competition. The four Findley sisters from regional Victoria – Amy, Hannah, Sarah and Holly – have been recording and touring the live circuit ever since, even making an appearance at the famed Glastonbury Festival in the UK in 2011.
The professionalism they must have gained from their hectic touring schedule showed on stage at The Paradiso Spiegeltent in the Garden of Unearthly Delights at their only performance at the Adelaide Fringe Festival this year.
The only drawback to the show was the very un-rock’n’roll start time of 7pm. A quick scan of the crowd on the way in made it clear that there were some old-time rockers present among the predominantly young crowd who were obviously glad to see that good rock music hasn’t gone out of fashion.
‘Bad Reality’, the title track of Stonefield’s second EP, kicked things off for the night. The set included a mix of songs from their two EPs including favourites ‘Yes Master’, ‘Black Water Rising’ and ‘Foreign Lover’ – the song that launched their career.
Along with the early start, much of the crowd was seated, which still allowed for the necessary head-bobbing and foot stomping – but it didn’t exactly create the atmosphere of a rockin’ show. It was a slow burn kind of evening, taking until at least half way through for the crowd to get revved up enough to begin hooting and hollering.
Lead-singer-cum-drummer, Amy Findley spent most of the night as the ever-impressive frontwoman, belting out all the loud notes and throwing her long locks around. She did however take a stint behind the drums at the mid-point of the show.
The highlight of the gig was the band’s well-known cover of Steppenwolf’s ‘Magic Carpet Ride’, a song they covered for Triple J’s Like A Version, while the sisters rounded out the night with an encore by-request rendition of Led Zeppelin’s ‘Whole Lotta Love’.
While the crowd didn’t exactly get the Spiegeltent a-rockin’, they were certainly an appreciative audience enamoured of good, solid rock music. And why wouldn’t they be when Stonefield have all the elements covered – wicked guitar riffs, vocals that pack a punch and a kicking base line?
Rating: 3 ½ stars out of 5
Stonefield
The Paradiso Spiegeltent – The Garden of Unearthly Delights
20 February
Adelaide Fringe
www.adelaidefringe.com.au
15 February – 17 March
