Piano Get Small

Sometimes you can become so immersed in the most exciting regions of the local scene that all sense of context, longevity, and character becomes hazy. Sydney’s musical fringe has changed since Piano Get Small was still playing shows a few years back. For one, rarely is a predominantly instrumental rock band considered ‘experimental’ by default anymore. There’s a distinction between difficult and noticeably different – and surprisingly, nowadays neither of those words are sufficient descriptors for Piano Get Small.

It’s not difficult to surrender to their narcotic, repetitious oeuvre. Their dynamics waver effortlessly between loud and soft, passive and aggressive, and as far as being different? If it even really matters, then the answer is a blunt ‘no’. There are second or third generation bands around Sydney doing similar things that are still playing the odd scarcely publicised show – such as the genre-hugging post-rock of Miyagi, who play this stage occasionally. Also, since Piano Get Small dropped off the radar, members have split off into even more interesting acts such as Moonmilk, a group easily representative of a recent renaissance of creepy, ethereal and cryptic music, a constituent of the small clique of bands that make it worthwhile and exciting to live in Sydney.

Piano Get Small is still a powerful performance band: the depth and range of their style is both emotionally and physically engaging. The most interesting aspect of tonight’s performance though, was the context their reformation has provided: a reminder that there is a very strong core of forward-thinking musicians in Sydney, egging things ahead so quickly that the redundancy rate is soaring. Some might call it fickle, some might call it exciting.

by Shaun Prescott