Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever
photo by Ryan Muir

Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever played Bowery Ballroom (pics, review, setlist)

Australia’s Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever are wrapping up their North American tour in support of their terrific debut album, Hope Downs. Tight from constant gigging and energized by a very into-it crowd, the band were really firing on all cylinders at Saturday night’s sold-out Bowery Ballroom show. The group feature three singer guitarists who trade off singing, sometimes from verse to bridge to chorus, which is a cool dynamic you don’t see a whole lot of these days, and their songs — like “Mainland,” “French Press,” and “Talking Straight” — are big hook delivery devices. The group noted that their first-ever NYC show was opening for Tennis at Bowery, and that it was a thrill to sell the place out themselves 18 months later. They finished the night with drummer Marcel Tussie crowd surfing to the back of the room while Christopher Cross’ yacht-rock classic “Ride Like the Wind” blared from the P.A. (They walked out to The Style Council’s “Shout it to the Top.”) Great set — pictures are in the gallery above and setlist is below.

I missed openers Clean Machine, but Chicago’s Deeper were quite good and are in possession of an amazing drummer. Their set was a little darker than the melted pop you hear on their debut album but no less interesting. Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever wrap up their tour with Deeper tonight in Washington, DC.

SETLIST: Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever @ Bowery Ballroom 9/15/2018
The Hammer
Clean Slate
Talking Straight
Wither With You
Sister’s Jeans
Julie’s Place
Sick Bug
An Air Conditioned Man
Exclusive Grave
Bellarine
Time In Common
Mainland
Fountain of Good Fortune
The French Press

Encore:
Colours Run
Wide Eyes

photos by Ryan Muir