From
pbsfm.org.au
 Silver City Highway@ Northcote Social Club, 22/3/08
I first stumbled upon the haunting and hypnagogic strains of SCH last summer. It was at the tail end of Sunday sadness, during some feel -better beers at the Labour and I was very much instantaneously won over. Soothing yet totally exhilarating, this unsigned side- project screams with understated potential. They gig around Fitzroy haunts such as Old Bar, venues conducive to this band’s casual yet colossal charm. One of Silver City’s greatest strengths is an easy, yet oscillating intimacy with their audience and subsequently Silver City is suited to smaller venue’s like these but to witness the full glory of the band in its seven- piece, orchestral incarnation; a venue like the Northcote Social club is ideal.
On Saturday night the sound was heady and full and despite the band seeming slightly terse at points, this dynamic worked for rather than against them. From the Johnny Cash black of guitarist Ryan Nelson and front man Fergus McAlpin, to the wife beater clad double bassist, SCH is living proof of what an aesthetically and musically diverse beast country music can be. The Northcote band room had the somnolent, sleepy atmosphere of an opium den, created by Seamus’ psychedelic sound effects and Nelson’s plethora of pedals and intuitive guitar work.
Silver City Highway’s primary skill exists in their ability to commune and retract, to create psychic landscapes and occupy them entirely, so the listener is inside with them and locked out simultaneously. Which sounds seriously contradictory and a bit tripped out, man; but this is the riddle of the sphinx which makes Silver City Highway such a special band. It also helps that they boast one of the best drummers in Melbourne, the ever- beatifically- beaming Simon Edwards. He’s technically fantastic, but it’s all in the expression; he looks like he’s genuinely journeying into some kind of state of transcendence.
I don’t like to bandy the word around, but bliss is the real currency of the Silver City performance. On this evening, the band was introspective than usual and seemingly more serious; when Fergus broke into a smile, it was downright dazzling. The solemnity dissipated when Nelson planted a smacker of a kiss on Fergus’ cheek after an archipelago number that in my opinion didn’t quite survive the acoustics of the room, nor do his pretty majestic voice justice.Â
For Mid- Easter weekend, the turn out was very good, even if the audience was largely made up of the walking wounded. They delivered a controlled dosage of raw, narcotic sound, which reached a chilling crescendo point at I don’t know if I’ll ever make it back again. I’m hoping that they always stay this close to this dark country edge, but move a little closer to the forefront in the very near future.
Silver City Highway release their debut album - “Everything Is Breaking” at the Tote Hotel on April 26th, 2008. What started out in the middle of the night years ago turned into a band which made a record….. “all grimy and warm…..moody and morbid lyrical warnings delivered in murderous strains…..”