Lowrider: Fri, March 1 @ Alhambra Lounge, Brisbane

Words by Scenewave Oz - Published on March 8, 2013

Drunk punters, long-time fans and new music.

Touring on the back of their new album Black Stones, Lowrider stopped through Brisbane on Friday to play to a small yet faithful crowd at Alhambra Lounge.

From the get go, Lowrider delivered what they’ve become know and loved for: angelic vocals, a grooving rhythm section and keys that blend gospel, funk and hip-hip sounds so effortlessly.

Not many bands reach the milestone of a fourth studio album, but the South Australian quartet find themselves in that fortunate position. They’ve had radio play, national festival appearances including Big Day Out and Pyramid Rock and supported the likes of Lupe Fiasco and Alicia Keys, but still remain relatively unknown.

The band shared a laugh several songs in, during “Here We Go”, when front man Joseph Braithwaite sang, “what’s with all of this praise, it’s glorious I’m amazed, that if we can be here tonight, and not making money it’s all a little funny”. This vibe seemed to underpin the entire gig; four albums, countless sound checks and shows, yet only a handful in attendance on Friday. However, that didn’t get them down, everyone was pleased, the faithful were grooving, a punter got boozed too early and screamed along to every song, and those in the recesses of the joint who were loosing their Lowrider virginity were also bobbing along.

They played a mixture of old and new material in exciting ways, kicking the set off with their brand spanka, “Golden Sun”; a tune that aches of summer romance in both lyrics and sound, charming the crowd into bouts of hip swaying and knee bending appreciation.

“Friend”, as always, was polished and well received, along with long time crowd favourite “Riverside”, both exemplifying the Lowrider sound: rhythm section grooving, keys whirling and Braithwaite’s angelic voice of unfathomable range reigning supreme through the club.

The set wandered between chilled out and upbeat vibes, reaching climax when they broke, mid-song, into House of Pain’s “Jump Around”. They finished to cheers and cries for more, reappearing for a final few tunes.

The songs off the new album were enjoyable, albeit not as embraced by the audience as the older material, and mark a shift in sonic direction for the band, whilst retaining all the elements fans have loved for years now.

Pick up a copy of their new album Black Stones from http://wearelowrider.com/

As a parting note, if you haven’t seen this video yet, treat yourself. Dating from the distant past of 2007 and the catalyst, no doubt, for much Lowrider love, here’s a studio session, echoing in a twisted backwater Australian hip-hop kind of way to the Stones backing Muddy Waters in 1981, featuring Lowrider and the Hilltop Hoods.