By JOHN VAN KLAVEREN
There aren’t many three-piece bands around these days, but for Geelong funk outfit The Kite Machine it’s the perfect set up.
“A three-piece is perfect for working together,” declares founder and guitarist Levi Anderson.
“There are no clashes, we all share ideas and it’s a lot easier to do that as a three-piece.”
“It not really three parts but three tuned into one,” chimes in drummer Kane Sherriff.
Adding keyboards to Liam Brennan’s bass duties adds the extra dimension the band might need from time to time.
But for a band priding itself on tight instrumentals filled with licks and riffs, keeping it together as a three-piece is the way they like it.
Like many bands, it all began out of high school with a few mates for Levi, followed by a stint at TAFE, where he formed Grand Elusive.
It was through that experience that he learned the positives of keeping things small and tight, forming The Kite Machine as a three-piece version.
After some line-up tweaks The Kite Machine found its niche in live gigs, a vibe it is now working to transfer to the studio.
“We wanted it stripped back instead of just adding stuff for the sake of it,” Levi says.
The tight-as-a-drum three piece group have been working hard on their sound and its shows in the new release Charlotte.
“Our philosophy is that it’s worth putting in the time and effort into it to make sure we get the quality we want,” Levi observes.
And the approach seems to be working, with the band receiving radio airplay, including hitting number one on Triple J Unearthed, rave reviews and lots of social media hits.
“We’ve got a great fan base in Geelong, which is fantastic. When we wanted to film our live DVD we got such a good crowd,” Levi says.
The lens captures their infectious energy as the band performs its electric live show to a packed house at The Studio in Geelong.
“But now we want to push it out. Our goal this year is to develop a Melbourne fan base.”
The Kite Machine are destined to be Geelong’s next exciting music export, taking its funky but loud and ballistic shows on the road.
“We take pride in being a great live band. When we write our songs we are writing for our live shows,” Levi explains.
The band has been through some evolutions but has settled as a three-piece with drummer Kane Sherriff and bassist Liam Brennan.
The additions enable The Kite Machine to soar with vocals over a tight groove and manic riffs as their signature.
Earlier this year The Kite Machine embarked on a national tour to celebrate the release of new single Charlotte, with gigs in Melbourne, Sydney and their hometown.
