Project Description
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GULLY DAYS
+ Dead Routes + Myma + Paddy O
“FRIDAY NIGHT JAMS”
@ Beach Road Hotel, Bondi
18th November
(Live Review)
Review by Amelia Torresan
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Packed in the top floor of Bondi’s Beach Road Hotel was a crowd of eager fans there to support up-and-coming indie rock band ‘Gully Days.’ The band was supported by two acts: MYMA and Dead Routes that set the tone for their headliner. MYMA opened the night, exhibiting a youthful indie-pop spirit worthy of a future Splendour in the Grass stage and a sound that could be the lovechild of Zara Larsson and Vera Blue. Following MYMA were born rockers Dead Routes, who showcased a sound influenced by genres from grunge to indie; that could be compared to the likes of Grinspoon, Jet and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. They were the perfect act to set the stage and hype up the crowd for the main attraction ‘Gully Days.’
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Feeding off the hype of the crowd, Gully Days began their set with their song ‘Seen You Before’. Right off the gate the energy in the room was at a 10 out of 10 and not one moment throughout the night did the boys let that energy drop. Gully Days were charismatic, like well seasoned performers with a sound that represented them – fun and energetic beach rock. They had solid vocals, punchy guitar, thumping bass, and dynamic drums that effortlessly worked together to create their signature sound.
‘You Said No’ was up next, with a sound that was reminiscent of the early music of Green Day, like Dookie (1994) and Nimrod (1997). As soon as the first power chords were struck, it brought the energy up to an 11 with a circle pit forming on the dancefloor before lead vocalist Ethan Eshuys even started singing. It was almost like a small-scale Woodstock 99, with guitarist Luke Morris joining in on the action, shredding on his guitar on the shoulders of an enthusiastic fan.
“”You can call me strange or you can call me”
The night continued on with ‘For What It’s Worth,’ and ‘Strange’ with both songs worthy of a place on a ‘Yours and Owls’ stage. The lyrics of ‘For What It’s Worth’ were sung with such an intense passion, it allowed the listener into Ethan Eshuys’ world for the duration of the song. ‘Strange’ had a Lime Cordiale-esque sound and gave the audience a glimpse of the potential that Gully Days have to make it in the music industry.
The band went on to play ‘Don’t Even Know Me’ which showcased a retro 90’s rock sound, similar to that of All American Rejects, that would feature on the likes of a coming of age rom-com. A heavier ‘Something More’ had heads bobbing and people jumping in the crowd, with power chords that echoed and filled up the airspace of the room. It reminded me a lot of the iconic song ‘All My Life’ by the Foo Fighters with its raw power and passion from all the musicians in the band.
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‘Here We Go Again’ saw the return of the Green Day punk influence and guitarist Luke Morris’ love of guitar distortion. As all the members of Gully Days come from different musical backgrounds it was clear to see that Green Day was one of the more notable influences. With the first few notes of their next song, the crowd roared in excitement and began another circle pit, indicating that ‘Go With It’ was one of Gully Days’ more popular releases. The crowd sang to the lyrics alongside Ethan Eshuys which has got to be such a rewarding feeling for the band. When you’re trying to make it in the music world, having others know your lyrics and sing along to them at one of your gigs is how you know you’re on the rise, so hats off to Gully Days for reaching that stage in their musical journey.
“You said you’re on your own, but I’m on fire”
Next up on the setlist was ‘On Fire,’ admittedly my favourite song of the night which had the perfect balance of fun and carefree bounciness with rock undertones. The highly spirited drum beats provided by Lewis Kennedy-Hunt contrasted the slower-paced but dynamic vocal melody, making a song that could very easily fit in on the radio of today alongside the likes of The 1975 and Harry Styles.
Nearing the end of the night, Gully Days performed their most recent release ‘The Others.’ The song was a musical rollercoaster, with mellow and chilled out verses to highly energetic and dynamic choruses, Gully Days were taking the crowd on a ride that was so much fun, we didn’t want to get off at the end. The end of ‘The Others’ effortlessly transitioned into the acapella opening chorus of their next song ‘Ay-Oh’ before the band slammed into their signature high energy rock style complete with crowd surfing from their lead vocalist.
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‘Wouldn’t Wanna Be You’ was the band’s “last song” of the night, boasting a heavier, more fast-paced sound to really end the night on a high. Out of all of the songs played that night, this was the perfect song to jump around, create a circle pit and just go nuts to. The musical tone of ‘Wouldn’t Wanna Be You’ was dirty and grungy while also holding a bright liveliness to it. In my opinion, this is probably the background music to whatever is going on in the mind of teenage guys.
After the crowd shouted for an encore, Gully Days played a cover of a song that was so perfectly matched to their style and sound: Basket Case by Green Day. This was the cherry on top to their set, as many fans knew the lyrics and sang along with gusto, bringing out a surfboard for Ethan Eshuys to jump onto as he was performing (instead, the board was mounted by a few eager fans who fell off almost immediately after they got on). It was pure chaos, and the band as well as the rest of the crowd were absolutely loving it.
To sum up Gully Days in one word, it would be energetic. From their music to their stage presence, Gully Days are filled with a contagious energy that will win its way into any listener’s ears and hearts. Gully Days are definitely a band you would want to keep on your radar, because they’re going to go places for sure.
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Follow GULLY DAYS
triple j Unearthed – Instagram
Facebook – Apple Music – Spotify
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Press Release 20th October 2022 (below) HERE
GULLY DAYS
are back with
their new single
‘THE OTHERS’
Single Review 27th October 2022 (below) HERE
GULLY DAYS
‘THE OTHERS’
Single Review
(27th October 2022)
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