A Night With Automatic - A Review
Photographs by Ishani Buff
A Fitzroy breeze pulled in quite an audience with a beanie or two and a leather jacket hanging among a shoulder or a few. From the heart of LA, electrifying and redefining band Automatic was set to put up an accelerating performance at The Night Cat Melbourne.
Covered in red lamps of all obscure shapes and sizes, a drum set, guitar leads, a synthesizer and a microphone were placed on the stage. Special guests, Grazer Band opened with a soft and thrilling set that filled the atmosphere with a warm type of grace. Singing for loved ones in the audience and an occasional banter with the crowd, the band’s opener left people on their toes for a night to remember.
A euphoric type of buzz settled in the space with a lot of conversations, dim lights and fog smothered in the air. With Izzy hitting an instant craze among the crowd as she played the synthesizer, it felt like you were taken to a different dimension. It gave a crisp, edge and a vibe to the whole atmosphere. Balancing the softness of Halle’s bass and the intricate tides and waves of Lola’s drums and vocals.
This was the world of Automatic. You couldn’t find a spot to compare because what you felt and heard was unique and liberating. Some moments kicked off a small flame inside of you and then burned into a more ambitious and bold fire. It reflected among the crowd in a way they moved to each hit of the drum and the fizzling out of the synthesizer.
Every song was unexpectedly so unique in its way, that you couldn’t pinpoint what was to come next. The girls had pulled off an exceptional performance with a loud cheer among the crowd between each performance. You could see people engaging and wanting to be part of this trio’s escape to another dimension and falling in love with the way they moved and glistened among the lights.
Moving swiftly with songs from their latest album ‘Excess’ and playing some particular fan favorites including ‘Too Much Money’, ‘Calling It’ and ‘Electrocution’. As the night progressed, the girls continued to smash out hit after hit with endless applause til the very last moment on stage.
Automatic dazzled the crowd with a rocking, beautiful and soul-shifting show to open in the heart of Australia. Continuing their tour leg through Melbourne, Sydney and Perth, this trio were also featured as opening acts for the Yeah Yeah Yeahs tour and one of Australia’s biggest festivals of the year Splendour In The Grass. Making their eccentric spot in the hearts of people down under.