The music industry is as synonymous with money as it is creativity. In recent years it has been crucial to differentiate between artists who are business or creative visionaries, those who are in it for the money and those for the passion. Where it was once about love, moving people, changing the world and sticking it to the man, music has become about clothing lines, marketing campaigns, reality television and record sales. Some would say it is for better, some for worse, but what it has meant is that the quality has been diluted and finding that inspired band, that exudes creativity and passion, has become an intricate task.

With a solid reputation and an underground following, WAMi Award winning band Snowman have the CV that suggests that they are one of the creative few and their album launch at the Corner Hotel was a chance to confirm this hope.

With a few hours until the feature band’s appearance, I took advantage of the rare appearance of seating at the Corner to take in the sets of their support acts. Tic Toc Tokyo, yet another band taking advantage of the fashionable Japanese to add some credibility to their name, are another act that possess the indie-rock sound that is becoming very prolific in Melbourne music. This is until regular vocalist/guitarist Simon Gibbs does one of many interchanges with regular drummer Nic Oogjes. Both of these guys share an ability to drum and sing, with Oogjes voice being particularly striking, eliciting thoughts of the Dead Kennedy’s Jello Biafra. It is when these two interact with one another that Tic Toc Tokyo really emerge. Their relationship on stage is distinctive and could see them really stand out in the quagmire of their genre. Ladies in Vogue, saw Gibbs on the drums and Oogjes playing percussion with both of them providing vocals and was one of the highlights of the entire night.

They were followed by the attention-grabbing Baseball, who were definitely one out of the box. Fusing punk with a rhythmic violin, it is hard to define these guys, for they are clearly undefinable. Their sound is as energetic as it is distinctive and their show is something that must be seen to be understood. Once again, it is the interchanges between the singer and the drummer that elicits the best in Baseball. Thick Passage, the singer/violinist, and drummer Evelyn Morris, complement one another perfectly, with Morris softening Passage’s energetic presence. In fact, it was Morris, with her slick drumming and easy-going vocals, who really stood out. Her voice should be utilised in more of Baseball’s songs to see the band shine.

Exuding an abundance of professionalism, Snowman were on stage and straight into their opening track Our Mother, a strong start that set the tone for the rest of the set. Their new album, The Horse, the Rat and the Swan is a gloomier release when compared to their self-titled debut. Accordingly, as all songs played were off the new LP, their set was similarly dark and angst ridden, filled with the passion and love that was hoped of this performance. While their music can get heavy, it is easy to appreciate what Snowman are doing when on stage. They have a desire to impress and an energy that suggests that they love what they are doing. This was really evident in the second half of their performance, when the band seemingly started to put a little more effort in and the music really reflected this change. It also saw greater involvement from keyboard, guitar, percussion and violin playing Andy Citawarman, whose falsetto really gave the band a rich dimension. Not to say that regular vocalist Joseph McKee did not impress, for his presence and expression are the perfect complement to the band’s sound.

After playing a high proportion of the album’s tracks, Snowman retreated off stage, coming back soon after for a customary encore. It is here that the band really took off. What was seen next was 20 minutes of absolute pleasure. Playing older material, Snowman were playing for themselves, immersed in their own world, at times oblivious to the audience’s presence. That was until McKee hopped down from the stage and into the crowd, where he proceeded to sit on the floor, continuing to play his guitar. Eventually he coerced the audience to follow, which saw a good 75% of the Corner, sitting on the floor, while the band and McKee continued to play. After a few minutes, McKee returned to his post, and the band completed what was a mesmerising performance.

The events of Friday night at the Corner left this writer short for words and thus, unable to compose an adequate review, for no matter how hard I try, words cannot describe how good Snowman were. While they have a very unique sound that may not appeal to everyone, Snowman is a band who aim to impress and play music for their own enjoyment. Consequently, Friday night was one of the best performances I have seen by an Australian act, a rare spectacle of what music should be, by a band with immense talent.