Little Dragon Live & Sublime in Sydney

On their 3rd visit to Australia, I was blessed this week to finally get the live Little Dragon experience I’d been waiting so long for.

Little Dragon live @ Oxford Art Factory, Sydney - August 2014

Little Dragon live @ Oxford Art Factory

Only Sydney and Melbourne got shows on this tour.  Consistent with the band’s other sold-out shows this year on their seemingly-non-stop tour schedule in the U.K, U.S.A, Japan and Europe since releasing Nabuma Rubberband, both their Sydney and Melbourne gigs sold out too. For very good reason…the live Little Dragon show is one that’s sublime, and not to be missed.

Little Dragon live @ Oxford Art Factory, Sydney - August 2014

The fact that the members of this 4-piece Swedish group have been playing and performing together since 1996 is plain to hear live. The cohesiveness of the combined sound contributions of Little Dragon’s four members is water-tight, and no 1 member’s sound drew my focus away from the others.

Little Dragon live @ Oxford Art Factory, Sydney - August 2014

Visually on the other hand, vocalist Yukimi Nagano makes it hard to keep your eyes off of her with her mesmerising movements across the stage with a tambourine – those movements and sounds themselves being an integral part of the whole that is the sublime live Little Dragon experience.

Little Dragon live @ Oxford Art Factory, Sydney - August 2014Little Dragon live @ Oxford Art Factory, Sydney - August 2014

Little Dragon live @ Oxford Art Factory, Sydney - August 2014Little Dragon live @ Oxford Art Factory, Sydney - August 2014

And Yukimi Nagano’s voice, with it’s live humanly “imperfections”, for those live “imperfections”, sounded simply perfect.

Little Dragon live @ Oxford Art Factory, Sydney - August 2014Little Dragon live @ Oxford Art Factory, Sydney - August 2014

The other 3 parts of Little Dragon are Fredrik Wallin (bass), Håkan Wirenstrand (keys) and Erik Bodin (drums).  Their musicianship was a dream to hear, see and appreciate in a live environment, especially the extended versions and jams during some of the songs.

Little Dragon live @ Oxford Art Factory, Sydney - August 2014

Fredrik Wallin

Little Dragon live @ Oxford Art Factory, Sydney - August 2014

Håkan Wirenstrand

Little Dragon live @ Oxford Art Factory, Sydney - August 2014

Håkan Wirenstrand (left); Erik Bodin (right)

Little Dragon live @ Oxford Art Factory, Sydney - August 2014

Erik Bodin

Little Dragon whole – the parts of the four artists combined  – was a better experience for me live than on cd…and isn’t that exactly what we want from all of our live music experiences?

Little Dragon live @ Oxford Art Factory, Sydney - August 2014

Sydney’s set list was made up of these 16 songs from Little Dragon’s 4 albums – including one of their 1st songs ‘Test’ (on video below)

Little Dragon - Nabuma Rubberband (2014)

Killing Me + Underbart + Pretty Girls + Paris + Klapp Klapp + Only One + Nabuma Rubberband

Little Dragon - Ritual Union (2011) - album cover

Ritual Union + Please Turn + Crystal Film + Summer Tears + Shuffle a Dream

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Machine Drums - Little Dragon (2009)

My Step + Runabout

Little Dragon. Self titled album cover. 2007.

Twice + Test

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Given the many years Little Dragon have been around for, it was interesting to see that a lot of their Sydney crowd seemed younger than I would’ve guessed they’d be; and to hold the newer songs played from Nabuma Rubberband dearer to them than older Little Dragon tracks. I guess that’s a testament to the group’s success in constantly making relevant new music that appeals to both old and new fan bases.

Little Dragon live @ Oxford Art Factory, Sydney - August 2014

The only other thing I can tell you about the gig is the unexpected feel-good moment that came near the end of Little Dragon’s show when one of those young women in the crowd joined the band on stage and proposed to her girlfriend.  A ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answer I don’t know, but they looked happy.

Little Dragon live @ Oxford Art Factory, Sydney - August 2014Little Dragon live @ Oxford Art Factory, Sydney - August 2014

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The only consolation I can offer to peeps who missed out on tickets to Little Dragon’s Melbourne and Sydney shows this time around, is these videos from Tuesday night at Oxford Art Factory


 

Elsewhere in Beaver Land you can check out sample tracks from Little Dragon’s Ritual Union and Nabuma Rubberband albums.

Right here is one more sample from Nabuma Rubberband. The usual ‘mp3 only warning applies – hard copies of Little Dragon’s music is easy to find and buy on-line or on foot in your local, independent record store…

Little Dragon - Nabuma Rubberband (2014)

Nabuma Rubberband (2014)

‘Underbart’ – Nabuma Rubberband (2014)

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Lots of people missed out on tickets to Little Dragon’s Sydney and Melbourne shows. These artists could easily have filled bigger venues than Oxford Art Factory and the Corner Hotel. Fans in other Australian cities wanted a Little Dragon show too.  The band’s tour schedule in the U.K, U.S.A and Europe for the rest of 2014 means Australia’s unlikely to get shows again this year. But I’m sure we’ll see Little Dragon over this side of the world again soonish rather than later.

Little Dragon live @ Oxford Art Factory, Sydney - August 2014

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