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MILKY CHANCE
+ Go-Jo
@ The Forum, Melbourne,
2nd February, 2024
(Live Review)

Review by Sam Coronado

Photos by Emily Cole (@emilykcole)

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Milky Chance, Metropolis, Fremantle, 26th Jan 2024 / Photo – @emilykcole

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As they walked to the doors of Melbourne’s Forum, and gazed up at that iconic, Florentine façade, German duo Milky Chance may have felt that they weren’t too far away from home. Certainly not all the way on the other side of the world, where they have found themselves performing on their Living in a Haze tour. Indeed, the European architecture of the palace-like former State Theatre might seem less remarkable and more familiar in their native Berlin. But if anything made them more comfortable, I’m sure it was the packed floor inside.

The gorgeous venue was already nearly bursting at the seams as opener Go-Jo took the stage, and they continued to pack in throughout the West Australian’s set. The mostly fun, inoffensive indie-rock that has been taken from our shores to corners all over the world by acts such as Spacey Jane hasn’t exactly ever been my cup of tea, but based on conversations I overheard in the entrance in the time between sets, Go-Jo and his band were far from disappointing. They had everyone moving about on their feet, which although may just be an opening act’s passing mark, is nothing to whine about.

So the place was buzzing, the stage was set, and all that was left was for the chorus of cheers and shouts to usher in the headlining act. Soon enough, their trademark brand of indie-pop, electronic-fusion was ringing out for the Melbourne crowd. As they breezed through their first three numbers, I’d picked up on a few things.

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Go-Jo, Metropolis, Fremantle, 26th Jan 2024 / Photo – @emilykcole

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This is a good opportunity to disclose that, when they first did their rounds on Australian radio stations (before the streaming boom!) back in 2013-14, with the singles off of their debut LP Sadnecessary, I always found vocalist and lead guitarist Clemens Rehbein’s voice a little tedious and annoying. Sure, it worked for some tunes, but in my listening I thought his mumbled, slurred baritone did more harm than good for the duo’s sound. Did hearing them play, and him sing live change my mind at all?

Well, sort of. I do think that in the past I didn’t give his vocals a certain credit they were due in being so characteristic and emblematic of their sound. That slightly raspy, heavy inflection in Rehbein’s voice was always what gave Milky Chance’s songs, and particularly the hooks their edge, and there was no exception here. The contrast between this distinctive timbre and the usually dreamy, stripped back instrumentals has always been a selling point and it had never been more obvious to me. The clearer, less processed vocals make for a much better fit for the mostly acoustic band they had backing them, too.

However, there were notably some songs where the slurred, mumbled delivery hinders the track more than it helps it, particularly on more pop-ish cuts like ‘Ego’ and ‘Cocoon’. Clear diction has never been a hallmark of Rehbein’s singing, but when it doesn’t work, it really doesn’t work for me. Of course, that didn’t stop many in the crowd from joining along in singing the lyrics to these fan-favourites, but I just found myself thinking that they must have had to study the lyrics on the train in.

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Milky Chance, Metropolis, Fremantle, 26th Jan 2024 / Photo – @emilykcole

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Rehbein’s guitar work and Phillip Dausch, the remaining member of the duo, on the synths and percussion were both pleasant, if simple at times. Similar chord progressions, build-ups and structures have plagued their discography for a while, but it was especially noticeable in the first half of the setlist. With an abundance of repetition within songs, and similar sounds across them, I found that at times Milky Chance challenged the non-fan listener to grasp onto something to really appreciate. Yes, the occasional track might be catchy at points, throughout, or even for a short while. But there was a sense of déjà vu for much of the setlist with every electronic and synth-tinged hook that followed a stripped back, guitar-led verse.

This meant that whenever they did defy my expectations, I was pleasantly shocked. When Rehbein broke from his (occasionally) one-note mumble into a strong falsetto on ‘Purple Tiger’, I was surprised and suddenly interested. I then eagerly awaited after they gave a shoutout to Berlin’s dance and electronic music scene back home, and told us to brace for some more of those influences. When this manifested in a cover of Culture Club’s ‘Do You Really Want To Hurt Me?’, it was genuinely exciting for what felt like the first time in the setlist. Their version incorporated house and club dance music sounds in the production to great effect, and I couldn’t help but wished that they leant into this a bit more. When they stick to a fusion sound for the more pop and indie cuts, the way that the electronic finds itself in the mix is fine, albeit formulaic. This cover was a welcome departure from that formula.

As they drew to a close, the number every single person in the crowd had anticipated was an inevitability. While I have had much to say about parts of the setlist, ‘Stolen Dance’, their 2013 breakout hit single, has always been a jam. And so as the crowd belted out both verses and chorus, I thought to myself that, if only every other song they wrote was as much of an earworm as this, they’d be huge. Perhaps ‘Stolen Dance’ was the peak of their powers, or maybe it’s a symptom of similar sounding songs being played ad nauseum, with none being quite as good. I’m more inclined to think the latter.

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Milky Chance, Metropolis, Fremantle, 26th Jan 2024 / Photo – @emilykcole

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They may have benefitted from a not-so minimalist production regarding the lighting and background visuals (I find that mood-music such as theirs relies on this at these live gigs), or even a smaller, more intimate stage such as the Croxton where they played the following night. For as gorgeous as the Forum is, it does tend to wash out more understated acts with its sheer size, particularly in terms of vocals.

Clearly, with a sold-out, packed venue in a city on the other side of the world in front of them, Milky Chance have carved out some sort of distinct niche with their trademark sound. While I hoped to hear a bit more of what the duo had to offer, and change it up and such, there were moments where it did all click and I enjoyed what they were playing. If Rehbein and Dausch are to return to Australia with new music some time in the future, they will certainly have a massive crowd to play to, and will hopefully surprise them with some dare and new inspiration.

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Milky Chance, Metropolis, Fremantle, 26th Jan 2024 / Photo – @emilykcole

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Follow MILKY CHANCE
Website – Instagram – Facebook
Youtube – Spotify

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Milky Chance, Metropolis, Fremantle, 26th Jan 2024 / Photo – @emilykcole

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Press Release 18th November 2023 (below) HERE

‘LIVING IN A HAZE’
AUSTRALIAN & NZ TOUR 2024

PRE-SALE TICKETS ON SALE:
Friday 17 November 11am AEDT
Sign-up to pre-sale here

GENERAL ON-SALE:
Monday 20 November 11am AEDT
TICKETS ON SALE HERE

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AMNPLIFY – DB