Gig Review - Holy Holy, Govs and Eves

Holy Holy

Live @ Black Bear Lodge (21/11/2013)

Supported by Govs and Eves

Words by Jo Michelmore

Pics by Cordell Sanders

It had been a long week. Actually, it had been a long month and by the time it got to last Thursday night, the last thing I wanted to do was smile politely at strangers and climb those stairs of the Black Bear after eight long hours at my day job and what felt like a lifetime of tiredness (exxaggeration, but damn I was tired). My addiction to live music over rides tiredness though, like it over rides almost everything, so Black Bear it was.

As the dedicated blogger I am though, I pulled on my second favourite pair of boots (everything feels better with good boots on) and dragged myself out of my house to find myself probably the best carpark I'd ever found (until Saturday nights excellent park, but my carparking skills are another story) and ran to the Valley Mall, knowing I might be late for the first band.

Alas, my day job had kept me from my true love of live music once again and while I only caught two songs of Eves, they were really, really good songs. I tried to spy as much of the stage as I could through the silhouetted heads of tall hipsters, but couldn't make out much other than the blinking lights of the sound desk. They blinked in some kind of rhythmical manner so I know I must catch more of these fabulous sounds sometime soon. Eves is good, really good, even from behind the sound desk. Have you heard 'Zen'? You must, you simply must listen and like me, you must see her live ASAP.

While the crowd dispersed and made their way to the bar, I did my usual trick and headed for the stage and as usual, I got my lucky spot in this cozy little venue, a little seat right against the wall, left of stage. I usually prefer the right, but you can't have everything, can you? GOVS made their way on to the stage shortly after I asked a polite gentleman whether "that seat was taken?" and I was so delighted to have found such a fabulous spot to see such a fabulous bunch of musicians. Playing absolutely brand new tracks like 'Husband'; "we've never played this in front of people before" and tracks that have earned them the hype they are currently receiving like 'Holy Trinity', their set was one I'd like to see again and again. I'm still trying to comprehend that Josiah Birrell hails from the Gold Coast; land of spray tans, tourists and gold accessories. This is not a doof doof bang bang Gold Coast sound and while there's nothing wrong with any doof doof bang bang sounds, the heartfelt emotion from GOVS is something special, something a little more real than all the the Gold Coast usually offers. I think I love and a little musical love is exactly what I needed on an exhausting Thursday night.

By the time GOVS left the stage, most of my exhausting day had disappeared and all that was left was a little buzz, the buzz I'm addicted to. That little feeling that live music creates was certainly there on Thursday night, as I'd seen Holy Holy live before and quite loudly and happily proclaimed one Holy Timothy Carroll as having one of Brisbane's best voices. I didn't have to wait long to hear that delicious voice again. Joined by three other musicians (including an imkos fave sometimes known as MKO and another, probably the tallest man to ever grace the Black Bear stage) Holy Holy took to the stage like they owned it and yes, owned it they did.


It's a pretty special band when I can't really name you many of the tracks they played, because I don't know many of their tracks (yet) and it's a pretty special band that can capture your attention from their first sounds after my own long and exhausting day. It's a pretty special band that can gain the amount of attention they have and back it up with an incredible amount of talent and a sound that is not only at times surprising, but also incredibly comforting. Their single 'Impossible Like You' is only the first taste of what these two, Timothy Carroll and Oscar Dawson, are capable of. Timothy's voice is divine and Oscar's skills are mesmerising. Together they are perfectly wonderful, with every song sounding like something I desperately need to hear again.


By the time I got home and took off my second favourite pair of boots, I was still exhausted, but I was smiling. This time I was genuinely smiling because sometimes, forgetting I have a day job and being a dedicated blogger is so worth the effort. Holy Holy, GOVS and Eves from behind the sound desk were such a sweet reward for a little bit of effort. Next time, I'm wearing my favourite pair of boots and I'm running up those Black Bear stairs, because I know there's always happy at the top of that staircase.