The first time I saw these guys it was at @Newtown RSL in September last year supporting Howling Bells, and we had no idea who they were. They played well and we were impressed but on stage, they looked like the gangly little brother of your best friend who stands in the living room while you're watching videos, showing off his mad Gameboy/skateboard/cartwheel skillZ. Six months later and I don't know, they grew facial hair or bought some new clothes or something, but Holy Crap.

Their sound has changed just as much. Their faint emulation of the indie new-wave that was all the rage back then has now matured into something deeper, something that dapples tentatively in prog, shoegaze and post-rock - but still holds onto that straight-up danceable pop reminiscent of early Red Riders. Noise and distortion built up climactically around melodic swirls that tied their set together, and the vocals were incredible. I'm extremely skeptical of hype, especially hype of the 'will they/wont they' Modular variety, but I left my self-righteous, self-imposed cynicism at the Annandale on Friday night. Yeah fine. Okay. The Ghosts are awesome. Maybe soon I'll even get into Klaxons..

RED RIDERS
Following the Ghosts, a dramatic opaque screen was lowered to shroud the on-stage arrival of the headlining Red Riders. It was a bizarre gimmick that I'm still confused about - intended ironically, or vaguely ostentatious? Is it still showy if it's well-deserved? [27.02 : I'm happy to report I am an idiot, and was unaware of the Annandale tradition of screening before each new act. It is not ostentatious or showy, and in fact I kinda enjoyed the build up - Stephbot]

IN ANY CASE, the screen was eventually lifted to the opening bars of 'Come On', and they moved on to play a tight mix of favourites from Plan A and Replica Replica. The band was loving it as much as the hordes of fans, exuding the confidence they picked up over 2006, and revelling in a contagious energy that bounced around the room. It was clearly a year spent well, not just producing a strong LP and dealing admirably with all the buzz, but perfecting their live act. Sure, they didn't experiment with their sound or play around with their songs as much as they could have, but they gave the crowd exactly what they wanted and then some. Except for the disappointed first three rows of groupies who went home to empty beds... Ahh... So much love for the Riders out there.

Photos by Natto