Thirsty Merc @ Rik's, Brisbane

Source: The Blurb

Author: Evan Alexander

Date Published: Wednesday Apr 21st, 2004

It’s a school night, and Riks is relatively uncluttered as The Forgotten Ways take to the stage around half past nine. Five young men sporting that, not quite long-not quite short, Beatles type, shaggy haired look that the Kings Of Leon have just re-popularised, they mix up a aural brew that’s about four parts indie rock to one part pop in a very Powderfingerish sort of way. Launching a double Les Paul assault through a Marshall stack and a hefty looking Vox, they hammer out the first and third beat of the bar convincingly. Frontman Alex Kuhlmann ditches his acoustic about 20 minutes in and clench fisted and squinty eyed, goes for the high notes hands free. He hits them, and as their set warms up so does the crowd.

Half 10 pm and with minimal fanfare and an unassuming poise, Thirsty Merc throw their first pitch right down the middle. Crackling guitars built upon a pithy, shipshape rhythm section, they make it immediately clear that they come inclusive with a slight edge, that somewhat intangible element of generic sincerity that you can just sort of feel somewhere behind your knees when crescendos are hit. A tight, syncopated four piece in slightly crumpled suits and ties, they look like they’ve just spent ten hours together in a car on the Pacific Highway (funny that).

Guitarist Matt Baker breaks a string two minutes into the first song, but tootsies are already tapping and the rest of the band forge on as a commendably solid three piece whilst he attends to it. Vocalist Rai Thistlethwaite comes from a jazz and rock spliced musical background, his leave-em-where-they-fall lyrical approach is flipsided by catchy, clever melodies and it’s this amalgamation, coupled with bassist Phil Stack’s understated harmony’s, that form one of the cornerstone’s of Thirsty Merc’s appeal.

After a request from audience member Katie Noonan to ‘play something weird’, some head scratching ensues, No Sugar, although not particularly weird at all, is a great track nonetheless and despite drummer Karl Roberton’s misgivings (betrayed when he mouths “Do U remember it” and “How does it start” to Baker) they pull it off with aplomb.

Thistlethwaite’s left of centre assonance is one of the main reasons new single Emancipate Myself has been receiving J and Rage coverage, and after bemoaning the fact that they have to drive back down to Byron after the show because accommodation there was twenty dollars cheaper than anywhere they could find in Brisbane, they complete their set with it. They’ll be back in a few weeks for a show with The Superjesus at The Waterloo on Friday May 14th, so if anyone’s got a spare room…