Ghost on a Roller Coaster performing at Lazy Bones on May 8
When an unknown neighbour knocks on your door asking the name of the band that played at your party on Saturday night, you know you’re on to a good thing.
It’s even better that the neighbour is himself a musician, a bass player who stood outside on a cold night listening to the music and waited in vain for a second set.
The band is Ghost on a Rollercoaster.
The Sydney indie four-piece sprang into being in early 2014, playing tunes spanning wry, head-nodding folk to big, dynamic head-flailing rock. The lead singer, Lynne Glacier, is an exceptional performer with a charismatic and energetic stage presence. She is also a talented multi instrumentalist/songwriter.
Ghosties: (from left) Alex Oehm, Andrew Petrucci, Lynne Glacier and Cameron Adams
Lynne met Cameron Adams (keyboards and vocals) at around 2am at a summer house party after she’d drawn a crowd with what he described as “an amazing solo guitar and vocal performance”. A musical synergy resulted that was soon completed by the arrival of Andrew Petrucci on drums and Alex Oehm on bass.
In the interests of transparency I have to reveal that Lynne is my sister and that the band played at the MegaphoneOZ relaunch party. But whatever bias may result from family loyalty will surely be recalibrated by sibling rivalry when I say that I agree with my newfound neighbour. The Ghosties are indeed a good band.
Their songs are catchy and creative, dynamic and passionate and the covers they take on are always served with a twist.
My neighbour was enticed by a set that began with a favourite of mine, “House”, a Darren Hanlon cover that shows off Cameron’s rich and melodic vocals. The sound system and backyard environment did not do the song (or Cameron) justice. I saw the band at Marrickville’s Gasoline Pony a few weeks ago where Cameron’s smooth velvety voice was in full display on this soulful ballad.
Ghost on a Rollercoaster can certainly entertain and engage an audience in such an intimate setting but their big sound can equally fill a large venue. On May 8 the band played to a packed house of noisy punters who quickly succumbed to the band’s magic at the popular jazz venue Lazy Bones.
Saturday night’s set was in equal parts original songs penned and sung by Lynne (love “Words” and “Seashells”) and very interesting covers including the Ben Folds Five song “Philosophy” (Cameron vocals), Alanis Morissette’s “Uninvited”, Megan Washington’s “Holy Moses” and Sia’s “Buttons” (all vocals Lynne).
But for me the standouts were “Conscience”, an original with a vibrant rhythm and quasi-Middle Eastern sound written by Lynne who belts it out with great gusto, and “Strong” a fabulous mash-up of London Grammar and LIVE.
I’ll leave the last word to my neighbour who took the trouble to put a query up on his Facebook page and then doorknocked the area to discover the name of the band.
“Someone had a party last night a few doors away and had a rather loud band playing. The catch was that they were very good. It was an absolute pleasure to listen to them, I didn’t get their name but good luck to them. If anyone knows who they were let me know! They were on XXXX Road. I may have to knock on the door…”
He did, and he wants to know where they are playing next so he can enjoy that elusive second set.
I promise to keep him, and you, updated on their progress and where they are playing their next gig.
