We hit The Tote (a Collingwood pub and band venue) on a balmy Saturday night and were greeted with the wandering crescendos of Three Month Sunset (a.k.a. Gabriel Lewis). In a shameless display of free-flowing post-rock, Lewis caressed his guitar and peered out meditatively to the largely empty bandroom. A little overwhelmed by the grandiose and sheer volume of the set, we joined a small crowd of smokers and beer-guzzlers in the chilled out beer garden where the pensive emanations seemed to settle more fittingly.

The hemp-clad Tim Harvey

By the time Hot Little Hands play the crowd had quadrupled. A surging bass hum lured the beer garden masses inside as cigarettes were promptly extinguished. Lead Tim Harvey, who incidentally sported some awesome hemp pants, guided the set through a smooth blend of rock-pop-soul with electro tidbits. Pulling-off five part harmonies, delicate synthwork, and even throwing in the odd trumpet solo, the band did well to match the polished sound of their latest album while maintaining a mesmerising stage presence.

Though Hot Little Hands were a tough act to follow, SubAudible Hum managed to put on a convincing show. I’d seen them play once before in support of London’s Unkle, but this time they showed the dynamism of a headlining band. Drawing chiefly from their critically acclaimed album, In Time For Spring, On Came The Snow, as well as throwing a couple of newbies into the mix, the band opened with the progressive Art of the State. A great choice, wherein Danny Griffith’s Thom Yorke-esque vocals were showcased initially to the backdrop of faint guitar, and then the song built up with bass and percussion to install a heady vibe. Griffith is an engaging lead, mechanically nodding along with the vocals with a grace of passion and authenticity. In Sugercoat, Joel Griffith’s fervour on the drums guides an intoxicating rock and roll jam, which leaves the audience bouncing.

New material appeared to be more lo-fi leaning with an introspective vibe, encompassing flawless four-way harmonies, finger-picked guitar and ever-flowing keyboard. Their latest single, Tokyo, Cragieburn and The Moon highlighted the band’s prowess in functioning as a cognitive unit; a murky bass hum the backdrop for a continuous stream of vocal harmony, mystical guitar arpeggios and consistently vibrant drumming. This was SubAudible Hum impressively in the zone, and it’s clearly been a visceral evolution for the Melbourne band.