Situated in the cosy basement of The Chippo Hotel, indie rock pop band Bad Pony delivered insane levels of energy that penetrated a packed out room of avid fans. Coming off the bat of eight shows around the country, as well as a North American tour, Bad Pony wrapped up their Deficiency single tour with one of the most energetic gigs I’ve ever been to. With the insanely erratic drumming, extraordinarily catchy guitar riffs and endearing vocals from all band members, it was clear from the start that Bad Pony’s gig was going to be a night to remember.
Members of the Sydney quintet were spotted grooving in the crowd before their performance to the wealth of talented supporting acts which included FROYO, Neighbourhood Youth, and Neighbour. Without any introduction, Bad Pony kicked things off with their hit Down to You. The mood of the crowd quickly changed to reciprocate the infectiously vibrant energy beaming from band. Lead singer Jarred Young, was on another level of energetic; drumming away like a maniac and occasionally showcasing his impressive screamo ability that you wouldn’t find in many other indie bands.
To present their newest single, Deficiency, the band displayed a taste of a darker electro rock vibe derived from their forthcoming EP. The moving electronic sample accompanied by a sense of ‘must-slowly-headbang’ was a sudden shift in atmosphere that still possessed an imposing undertone of Bad Pony rock. The constant energy that was exuded off the stage without any signs of slowing down demonstrated the true meaning of putting in ‘blood, sweat and tears’. The single piece of advice given to us from the band was to “go mental, but be safe and mental.” Demonstrating their effortless ability to dynamically switch from rock to pop, their more upbeat dance tunes, White Russian and Sideways, compelled audience members to let loose.
Lockout laws, unfortunately, did not allow for an encore performance but crowd members still left on a beaming high. Holding off on the gigs for a while to rejuvenate from their travels, it’s guaranteed that attendance at their next Sydney show is a must.
Bad Pony is a band that, genuinely, sound even better live.
