Alex Cameron and Roy Molloy @ DC9 - 1/25/2019
Alex Cameron strutting his stuff alongside Roy Molloy at DC9 (Photo by Mauricio Castro / @themauricio)
The business partners are back on the road, and like any well-run business, they’ve streamlined operations and achieved maximum output and profit. Fans came to DC9 not to see Sydney’s Alex Cameron play with a band, but instead with just Roy Molloy on saxophone by his side - the way they operated before 2017’s well-received Forced Witness. As their “Taking Care of Business” tour implied, the duo stayed true to their word and played all the crowd pleasers from Cameron’s last two albums.
For those that love Flight of the Conchords-esque awkward stage banter, Cameron and Molloy offered a treasure trove of riches. Look no further than Cameron giving Molloy a moment between songs to review, of all things...the very stool he was sitting on. But there were still moments of levity in-between all the humor - Cameron explained to the crowd Sydney’s current plight of lost music venues in favor of new housing, but was able to lighten the mood by explaining that’s why they tour so much in the first place - cause they can’t play for anyone at home.
But in the end, it comes down to the music, and thanks to Cameron’s gift for telling hilarious stories with catchy melodies, everyone at DC9 was game to sing along loudly to songs like “Candy May,” “Runnin’ Outta Luck,” and “Stranger’s Kiss.” As a bonus, the crowd got to hear a song in progress for Cameron’s upcoming third album. The song is reminiscent of the sparse, lo-fi sound of his debut album Jumping the Shark without treading too much of the same water. And Cameron’s relentless stage shimmying as a foil to Molloy’s stoic presence on saxophone had the crowd in smiles. What could have played out like a glorified karaoke session was something much more entertaining thanks to the dynamic duo of Cameron and Molloy at the helm.
Holiday Sidewinder, who has played alongside Cameron’s live band on keyboards, opened for Cameron with a solo performance with an iPhone plugged into the auxiliary cord for the backing track. Even with just the aux cord plugged in, her personality and voice shined and proved that she absolutely deserves a backing band. Her latest release is the single “Whispers” through Personal Best Records.
