By: Eric Duran-Valle
In between songs, lead singer and bassist of the Church, Steve Kilbey, invites the audience on a journey through time: “I want you all to come back with me to 1990. There was no quinoa. There [were] no NFTs. There was very little except for one thing that was beacon that year, which was the Church’s last hit single.” The audience laughs then cheers. This wry, deadpan humor is emblematic of the ironic, tongue-in-cheek ethos of Australian rock band the Church, who made a stop at Vegas’ Brooklyn Bowl on Thursday, October 5, 2023.
The Church’s post-punk, new wave sound is defined by lilting guitar melodies and propulsive bass lines that make dancing irresistible. Kilbey’s matter-of-fact vocal style, at times comparable to contemporary Richard Butler (Psychedelic Furs), carries the melancholy and sardonic weight of their lyrics. Guitarists Ashley Naylor and Ian Haug regularly switch lead parts and riffs, both showcasing impressive and inventive mastery of their instruments. Along with Jeffrey Cain supporting on rhythm guitar/keys, the result is a lush, harmonious atmosphere that envelops the entire room.
The first half of their set mostly featured new songs from “The Hypnogogue,” like “Ascendence,” “Flickering Lights,” and “No Other You,” while also pulling from some of their more well-known tracks like “Destination,” and “The Unguarded Moment.” After a series of upbeat tunes, the set gradually lulled into a more relaxed state with acoustic versions of “Old Coast Road,” “Albert Ross,” and “Fly."
The choice to have an intermission in the middle made it feel more like an evening at somewhere like the Smith Center instead of Brooklyn Bowl, which may have been the only moment where the band showed its age. However, taking this break does result in getting to hear more of the band’s discography, which included both classics and selections from their new album.
The tale of a “flaky, feckless pop star from the future,” as Kilbey described it on stage, “The Hypnogogue” blends The Church’s signature sound from the 80s and 90s with an exploration of new sonic elements that still feel at home. The band’s first effort at a concept album, the ambition of combining a thematic through line with their resonant, cinematic instrumentation conjures a voyage through an expansive yet intimate cosmic field. At times, it awakens the wonder one has the first time they listen to David Bowie’s “Space Oddity,” whose Ziggy Stardust era also seems to have had some influence on The Church.
The second half of the show leaned more into the band’s classics, like “Grind,” “Tantalized,” and “Comedown.” Dead center in the latter set was their most popular song, “Under the Milky Way” which was met with great rapture from the crowd. It seems that from then on this is what the band saved their energy for, as the songs only increased in intensity as the concert progressed.
The Church returned for their encore with “Reptile,” which has a punchy, infectious hook. They then closed with “You Took,” a rhapsodic finale that gradually built into a raucous jam, bringing the show to a satisfying ending.
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