Guerre/Pear Shape/Boats of Berlin/Post Paint @ OAF

Last Thursday, No Dice Paradise debuted at the Oxford Art Factory, bringing with it fantastic independent rock and electronica. Featuring Post Paint, Boats of Berlin, Pear Shape and Guerre, it was one of the best mixed-genre night’s I’ve caught in a while.

Post Paint were an eclectic mix of folk-indie and sweet pop, with a lot of grunt and an almost-Arcade Fire feel thrown in. They were full of energy and guts, breezing through their forty minute set without a care in the world. It’s also the first time I’ve seen a band rock a bassoon on stage, and I loved it. They’ve recently moved to Sydney from Newcastle, so keep an eye out for them.

Boats of Berlin were laidback and almost psychedelic in their stylings. They merged blues with indie masterfully, and were a pleasure to see perform. While they lacked some of the sparkle of the other bands, they were still fresh and tight.

Pear Shape blew the room away, rocking fantastically tight but still flowing loose and bluesy. For a band fresh out of the blocks, they put on an incredible performance that had the room packed out and dancing. If Pear Shape keep putting on shows like this, they’ll be all over your radios soon.

Guerre closed with sweet electronica, filling the room with an incredibly smooth ambience filled with post-dub undertones. For a single man at an indie night, Guerre was impressive – a definite future player in the Australian electronic scene.

The event organisers were also circulating a mix-tape, featuring each ofnthe bands for the evening. It was free, and added an awesome tactile element to the night.

No Dice Paradise is on again next month featuring Whyte Fang, Moon Holiday and The Townhouses. If the first edition is anything to go by, the next will be fantastic. Check it out.

Post Paint here
Boats of Berlin here
Pear Shape here
Guerre here