Full Circle

It seemed symbolic that my Saturday would start with PTY LTD and thus end with PTY LTD. I woke up in front of the TV at approximately 9.30 in the morning, roused by the lilting tones of Tim Tainsh’s falsetto and the visages of his twin Dan and keys extraordinaire Peter G adorning Video Hits. The meaty musical threads of Make Amends thumped at me as the beautified skyline of our clock from King George Square festooned the background of their clip. To me, it was an indication that their CD launch for Enticer Deluxe intended for that very evening at The Zoo would be an excellent one. The clip itself, already zooming up the charts, seemed a manifestation of fortitude from an incredible band whose endurance in the industry and in Brisbane seemed to finally be coalescing into a sweeping semblance of victory. Some twelve hours later as I made my way into The Zoo, a remarkably distinct impression of eagerness was left upon me for The Valley thrived with activity. On this evening, enthusiastic clubbers permeated every alley and lane, intent on filling the air with a wonderful vitality. This very same vibe rose to filter through the windows of The Zoo where a rather large crowd had already gathered ready to be enticed into the PTY LTD atmosphere; the ambience certainly one of simultaneous glee and anticipation as a lovely mix of soulful funk and disco oriented tunes filtered across the excellent sound system. The undressed character of The Zoo leant a minimal and unfussy nature to the room, and a feeling of relaxed carefree-ness permeated the very corners. There was no pretension here – all were present purely for what they knew (from past experiences) would be an excellent performance.

The setup of Peter G’s Rhodes, Nord Electro and Korg synths, Dan’s translucent kit, Tim’s Korg MS2000, a percussion rig and a stack of marshalls glinted in the murkiness of the room while to the left of the stage, their recent QSong APRA Electronic/Dance Award stood proudly under the lights. The visual of the animistic letters of PTY LTD flashed across the background screen. The shifting sepia scenes of the drum kit, keyboards and the front microphone revealed the presence of a few cameras haphazardly placed around the musicians to undoubtedly catch them during their performance. The boys themselves wandered across the stage at intervals as they set themselves up. Whether by coincidence or destiny, Peter G’s entrance onto the stage was heralded by a fanfare of horns, as he strode towards his setup; suave in his hat and scarf. Grant Wallis looking rather emo with his punkish hair style and a green jacket reminiscent to the colour of Kermit the Frog, wandered about also, fiddling with knobs on the speakers or pushing at foldback wedges. Local DJ legend Julien Love hovered about too, his chocolate skin a stark contrast to the rather pink countenances of the rest of the band.

And finally, amidst a barrage of claps, whistles and catcalls from the ever expanding crowd, Tim, with his bass firmly clasped around his body launched into his famed falsetto, as Dan’s drums filled the air to be surrounded by Peter G’s thick textural keys. All the guys looked polished and debonair; their collared shirts and dress pants lending a dashing air to their presentation. Seeing them launch into Fire was like watching a Lamborghini Lotus going from 0 to 100KMs in four seconds – well primed and pumped with the effect of PTY LTD’s musicianship hitting the crowd immediately. Dancers straight away jumped onto the dancefloor, well stimulated by the prominent rhythms. Julien’s cow bell penetrated the thick frequencies as a barrage of phasers from Peter G’s wonderful keys flew across the marvellous sound system. Darren Aitchenson’s talents on the sound system were quite sublime as the sound of substantial instrumental textures came across crisp and clear to our ears. Michael Hughes artistry with visuals and lighting warped the ambience into an austere scene, the screens alternating with the differing camera shots and effecting an energetic and interactive vibe as angled sepia shots of Tim, Dan and Peter G graced the background.

Their second tune Trying To Leave washed over the crowd wonderfully, the broad sounds of Peter G’s keys filling the slender spaces as Tim’s grinding bass notes sustained the beautiful melody. His beautiful vocal tones were strident and clear, the emotive vocals intense and overwhelming; while Dan worked industriously at the kit with his rhythms balancing the chunky key textures. Julien worked delightfully at the skins, his beats lightly offsetting Dan’s diligent rhythms and filling the few remaining rhythmic gaps. Grant’s stabs on the guitar surrounded the brisk tones of Tim’s vocals, the guitar alternating between wahs and thick distorted chords. His fingers clambered nimbly up and down the fingerboard, mirroring Tim’s own bass offerings. The beguiling hooklines of Higher, Hey You, Take Me Back Again, Drive On, Party Girl, Rectify, This Won’t Take Long, Funky Buddha’s, A Little Bit More and Break It (all from the new album) resonated throughout the room. The recorded vocals of Latrice Barnett fused smoothly with Tim’s own live sonorous tones as the band furiously added their own surging sounds to this incredible mix. Make Amends naturally heralded a stampede onto the dancefloor as the deep resonance of Peter G’s keys, Dan’s rhythmic drumming and Tim’s vocals and bass collected into a meaty consommé of soulful funk.

Throughout the evening, Tim’s vocal tones continued to floor me, as his notes never failed to hit each golden centre while his bass offerings remained profound and resonant. Peter G’s tendons stood out on his forearms while his left hand wildly fiddled with the pitch wheel and his right hand traversed the white and black keys with great dexterity. Peter’s bass key grooves doubled with Tim’s own phat lines, causing The Zoo’s wooden floors to vibrate from the combined bass heavy frequencies. Grant offered a harsh edge with his distorted guitar chords as his fingers violently pulled at notes as they explored the depths and tones of each chord. My particular favourite, Royal Stag (inspired, Tim noted, by a memorable trip to Kathmandu) especially called to my heart as the combined vocals of Peter G and Tim rose to the rafters. Dan’s high hats were oh so tight, his sticks deftly striking the snare, cymbals and tom skins with additions of rimshots penetrating the mix.

The boys were triumphantly riding a colossal wave of achievement; basking in the afterglow of monumental love from their appreciative audience as calls for “more” sounded out. Local instrumentalists Hayden Smith and Scott Brown were invited onto the stage for the encore of durable favourite Elevator Lovin. The overladen offering of testosterone on stage exploded into a frenzy, as Hayden Smith on saxophone and Scott Brown aka ‘The Reverend of Bling’ on trumpet presented incredible bouts of horn improvisation. Hayden smashed out astonishing licks from his saxophone, as his notes superbly wavered up and down the scale. His talent was glaringly apparent as his fingers worked dexterously at the involved saxophone keys; his tones defying gravity in Dave Sanborn fashion as he purely hit the centre of each note. Scott Browne, certainly one of Brisbane’s most undervalued trumpeters, blasted out an array of thrilling grooves. The tones were precise; each note holding a lascivious and naughty streak in their character while his high licks disregarded the difficulty each note presented; skipping over the complexities with ease. The band supported these outstanding horn players masterfully; Dan continuing to work heartily at his toms and snare as Tim strummed heatedly at the bass with Grant’s guitar chords offsetting the luxurious qualities of Peter G’s keys. The band finished on rousing notes of triumph amidst clamorous whoops and cries of appreciation. There was a definitive exultant attitude in the air as the audience basked in their pride for a local band who have long defied their hometown’s notorious apathy, to finally emerge victorious and famed for their musicianship and exhilarating performance skills.

I have long been a fan of PTY LTD and thus observed them expand from their trio base to incorporate the guitar and a horn section. Tonight seemed, to me, a symbol of their versatility in musicianship and resilience as focussed and steadfast musicians. With many acknowledgements, stellar performances, EPs, albums and remixes (including those by internationally renowned Crazy Penis, Craig Obey and Derrick Carter) under their belt, and not to forget the recent QSong APRA Electronic/Dance Award for Make Amends, the path ahead for PTY LTD continues to gleam brightly. With the imminent success of “Enticer Deluxe” undoubtedly paving the way before them, Brisbane should revel in the triumph of harbouring the colossal talents of such a band who flout the boundaries of music. PTY LTD defy the limits of genre-rising to emerge as a collective of incredible musicians; heirs to our future and the underrated crowning glory to Brisbane’s enduring live scene.