Isolation has quite obviously dried up the live music scene over the past few months, leaving audiences thirsty for their concert fix. But last night, the Oxford Art Factory’s tastebuds were quenched with a large glass of Lime Cordiale as the Sydney band played one of their sold-out speakeasy shows to celebrate their upcoming album.

Coronavirus regulations meant that these gigs would be quite different to how fans have seen them in the past: a sit-down intimate performance vastly different to the writhing sweaty masses at their Robbery tour last year. It would be Lime Cordiale experience like no other.

Opening the night was Annie Hamilton, who notably plays for Jack River. Alone on stage with just her guitar, Annie warmed up the crowd peppered around little candlelit tables with tracks from her eponymous EP and treated listeners to a glimpse of her work-in-progress album with tunes like ‘Rosemary’. Annie’s performance was blasé but perfect for the dive bar atmosphere as people grabbed drinks and doodled on their paper tablecloths with the pencils provided. A real slow ease into the music to come.

Lime Cordiale are known to put on one hell of an energising performance, which caused concern being seated. As the five-piece band took to the stage and kicked off their headline set with ‘Money’, the seat squirming and air thrashing began in the audience.

They teased songs from their upcoming release 14 Steps To A Better You, with ‘No Plans To Make Plans’ being a highlight. The COVID-friendly title featured Oli Leimbach on tenor saxophone (Oli is also known to get around a clarinet solo from time to time) and Louis Leimbach repopularising a kazoo solo, and quite frankly it was wild.

As the frontmen brothers put it, the speakeasy format reminded them of their early shows at establishments where no one would know their music, but only this time people snapped up these hot tickets to actually hear them perform.

And it was obvious that the crowd were more than your average Lime Cordiale fans, with every lyric being sung back to the band among heckles of song requests that prompted a short band meeting. The audience demanded their triple j Like A Version cover of ‘I Touch Myself’ but it was ultimately decided against for ‘On Our Own’. We were there for an album launch of new tunes after all.

Rounding out the night, they finished the show with an encore of ‘Inappropriate Behaviour’ and ‘Robbery’ that saw the audience chair routines come into full force. The “wine and dine” gig was over all too quickly but definitely won’t be forgotten any time soon.

14 Steps To A Better You is out July 10.

LIME CORDIALE: Live Album Speakeasy

Tickets SOLD OUT.

Monday, 6th – Wednesday, 15th July
Oxford Arts Factory, Sydney
Tickets: Official Website

This article was originally published by The AU Review.