The stage shined amongst the tall, slender, slightly hunched frame.
As he opened his mouth to let out one of his renowned gritty grunts, the light reflected off his one gold-capped tooth, striking and blinding the audience at Enmore Theatre.
This is how I would describe the essence of Archy Marshall’s music. With his low sombre baritone voice, and his emotively penetrating lyricism, his music is striking in a way that makes you question the inner psyche of the London-based musician.
Ever since the release of his debut LP Six Feet Beneath The Moon in 2013, singer-songwriter Archy Marshall (AKA King Krule) has been a musical hero to many.
With an eclectic trail of genres ranging from punk, jazz, hip-hop and new-wave, Marshall is a musical prodigy that has gained recognition from the likes of Beyoncé and Frank Ocean.
In celebration of his latest album The OOZ, released in October last year, Marshall finally returned to Sydney after four long years.
The crowd melted into a frenzy when Marshall started the Sydney show with Has This Hit.
That’s when it truly hits – Archy Marshall in the flesh.
From his lanky posture, effervescent ginger hair, blasé demeanour perfectly paired with the emotional intensity of his off-tune growls, everything seems all too familiar.
The atmosphere intensified as Marshall followed into Dum Surfer, the lead single off his latest album.
Despite being a man with little words, he interacted with the crowd effortlessly, congratulating fans on Australia’s recent triumph in legalising same-sex marriage.
“Big-up gay marriage.”
“Spread love and unity across the earth.”
He kept the fans on their toes by playing an unreleased banger, rumoured to be called Badoom.
As the fans sensed an imminent end to the show, Marshall played some more gloomier grooves such as The Ooz, Midnight 01 (Deep Sea Diver) and Baby Blue, turning the frenzied movement of the mosh into a lulling sway.
The audience was left spellbound by the hopeless romantic-esque questionings of Marshall’s lyrics.
Marshall finished with his most recognised song Easy Easy, which he wrote at the age of 12, before leaving the stage with a sense of indifference.
The empty stage meant nothing to the fans, anticipating an encore. There was ceaseless chanting.
“Archy, Archy, Archy!”
As the stage lit up for the final time, Marshall entered alone and strummed the first taut jazz chords of Out Getting Ribs.
Not only did Marshall ooze into the streets of Newtown that night, but his music oozed into the crowd’s hearts once again.
Words by Jenny Qian
Photography by Sascha Tan (from Melbourne’s Croxton Bandroom)
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