~ Decoder Ring ~


	2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 10/12/01 Annandale Hotel, Sydney 08/12/01 Homebake Festival 06/12/01 Hopetoun Hotel, Sydney 20/11/01 Hopetoun Hotel, Sydney 16/11/01 Vic On The Park, Sydney 17/09/01 Hopetoun Hotel, Sydney 18/07/01 Under The Clothesline, Sydney 31/03/01 Newtown RSL, Sydney	06/12/01 Hopetoun Hotel New Buffalo, Decoder Ring Sarah Schlyder Generally I like to sing along with the band. I try to keep it quiet but I must admit that on occasion I am that annoying person beside you singing the wrong words out of key and way too loudly for you to listen to those who you actually want to hear. When it comes to purely instrumental stuff I sometimes get a little bored. Yes, I can still annoy people through dance but it's somehow not the same just humming or la-la-laing my way through a song. Decoder Ring on the other hand left me awe struck. Their instrumental tunes didn't need vocals to tell a story, the lyrics seemed to be embedded in the feel of the music. Dreamlike sequences of strange underwater and space scenes were projected behind them creating an otherworldly vibe. With keys that sounded like the playful chiming of bells on a fairground carousel, listless guitar and the slow beat of the drum, Decoder Ring moved me. I don't just mean in the emotional sense of the word. At first it was just a bobbing of the head and then a slight tapping of the foot, and like a rapid spreading infection my whole body felt the urge to start swaying about. Sally Russel brought the dreamy pop tunes of New Buffalo to us, herself alternating between keys, guitar, and accompanied by a bass player and drummer. Her live sets are without the samples and extras featured on her album but the songs held up to the test and she hasn't forgotten about the poppy rock of her earlier days. Unfortunately it was a while before they got the volume mix right and we could actually hear Sally's dreamy little voice. I was sent slowly meandering down a winding river, peacefully waiting for the lullaby to carry me off to dream filled slumber. The only problem was that I wanted to be swept away. For brief moments her voice broke free from the soft and gentle walls that seemed to be holding it captive. In these delightful flashes of unfettered souldul melody I was no longer content with the soft and breezy sounds of before. In her solo performance she gave me what I wanted, pure unadulterated Sally Russel soul. The cheering audience definitely agreed, shushing anyone that made a sound during it. I could have attempted to sing along, but this time I couldn't bear to ruin it.