THERE'S a dark and devilish streak to Slow Cinema's music.
Much like AM-era Arctic Monkeys or The Strokes, it's always lurking underneath the surface, but it threatens to break through often enough to keep you engaged.
On Saturday night Newcastle's Slow Cinema headlined the Stag and Hunter Hotel in their biggest ticketed hometown show since launching onto the scene two years ago.
Even without a new single or record to promote, the five-piece drew a solid crowd of around 100 punters keen to indulge in their bluesy brand of garage rock.
Local alt-rock six-piece The Future Thrills kicked off the night before the temperature rose considerably for electrifying two-piece Baam Bam.
Baam Bam might be a relatively new project for Dan Flegg (guitar, vocals) and Stu Moppett (drums), but they perform with consistency of a well-oiled machine.
They know their roles inside out. Flegg is the flamboyant ever-prowling frontman, crunching power chords and bending garage-rock riffs as if possessed by the sonic assault flowing from his Gretsch guitar.
It's a bit loose, but that's the appeal.
Meanwhile, Moppett plays the straight man to Flegg's madness, reliably holding down the back beat like an anchor through a rock'n'roll storm.
Slow Cinema have released just four singles - Howlin', Faye's Fever Flow, Balta and Sizzler since 2021 - but there's obviously enough potential there to suggest the lads have an exciting future.
Most recent single Sizzler is given an early airing, offering guitarists Tim Hill and Sam Lawson the opportunity to shine with their competing solos and riffs.
It must be said Slow Cinema are incredibly tight. Hill and Lawson might provide the sizzle, but bassist Mitchell Sonter and drummer Jarryd Carle are the driving backbone of their sound, which mines '60s and '70s rock with doses of modern psych.
Growling frontman Tyler Gibbs draws obvious comparisons with The Growlers' Brooks Nielsen and there's a touch of Jim Morrison as he croons, "Dreaming after midnight, howling at the moon/ Swimming with a mermaid in my own private lagoon," on the foreboding Howlin'.
Gibbs is fairly reserved in his crowd engagement and often hangs back, allowing Hill and Lawson to dominate.
Some of Slow Cinema's unreleased material suggests a more upbeat pop direction is coming, and their cover of Kasabian's Fire brings the dance floor to life.
But it was difficult to surpass their blistering Faye's Fever Flow.
Slow Cinema finished recording a debut EP in March at The Grove Studios on the Central Coast. There's certainly gonna be many ears eager to hear the fruits of that labour.
