With the abundance of B grade dance and generic rock and roll currently infiltrating the airwaves, a band like Decoder Ring are certainly worth taking notice of. Gaining recognition with their acclaimed soundtrack to the 2004 AFI award winning film Somersault (not to mention a series of incredible Big Day Out performances), the Melbourne-based outfit have just begun a full lap of the country on the back of their third release, Fractions.

Entering Fowlers live to join the growing crowd, my hopes were high. Decoder Ring is one of my favourite Australian bands, and one of the few Aussie acts daring to craft their own sound and shy away from commercial trends.

Opening act Expatriate were a bit of a let down. With a sound highly reminiscent of Interpol, New Order and everything else that’s currently fashionable, the Sydney quartet did very little for me. Sure the mix was nice and the rhythm section was tight, but it was all a little bit too familiar and frankly, boring.

It wasn’t too long before the evening’s headliners had taken the stage, and the night took a turn for the better. Armed with guitars, drums, and a vast array of synths and samplers, the six-piece launched into the first set of their Australian tour. Opening with one of their more radio-friendly tunes, the band had little trouble getting the adequate sized crowd into the right mindset. As drums crashed, synthesisers bleeped and the sexy vocals of Lenka, pushed through the textured wall of sound, the punters were plunged into the depths of the Decoder Ring vortex.

Showcasing the tones of both Fractions and Somersault, the band flowed through an shifting set of quality tunes. Whilst the more upbeat numbers were a hit with the kids, it was the slow-building, textured instrumentals that really grabbed my attention. Token tunes from the bands acclaimed soundtrack were also crowd pleasers, including a mind-bending drum and bass number. While these guys clearly know how to rock out, it’s the gentle beauty of their more ambient pieces that really sets them ahead of the rest.

Although between-song banter was a complete lost cause, the band played with great energy. They maintained a positive vibe despite the often dark nature of their work. This coupled with some beautiful 16mm projected analog visuals and some interesting dance moves made the gig a feast for the senses… well, at least two of them.

Cutting the set short for an obviously planned encore, the boys and girl returned for a number of older tunes from the bands self-titled debut. Finishing with the epic guitar crunches and double percussive attack of my own personal favourite Welcome Shoppers, Decoder Ring called it quits, leaving the crowd in very high spirits.

It’s always pleasing to experience an Australian act working outside the square. Decoder Ring play and compose proficiently enough to sway a large number of Adelaide’s eyes and ears… and the tour will no doubt speed the success of their new release. While the band’s sound and onstage energy failed to match that of their recent Boiler Room show, Decoder Ring still have something special.

Click here for Dagman’s photos of the gig…