Telenova @ Oxford Art Factory: ‘Tore My Atoms Apart’

Do you remember, as a child, the magic of building a pillow fort? By stringing sheets up through your room and throwing pillows on the floor, it was always a wonder at how you could transform a normal, familiar environment into a space completely new. I will always remember the feeling of crawling into these brand-new worlds and relishing in their novelty. In many ways I was struck with a similar feeling seeing the in-the-round performance of Telenova last Thursday night at the Oxford Art Factory (OAF).

To accommodate the first leg of the rocketing Melbourne band’s tour – in a far more technical, and professional sense than my pillow fort analogy – the crew at this beloved venue completely altered the space into something entirely unfamiliar.

Usually, the OAF operates with a traditional stage at the fore of the room, a moderately small dance floor before it, and a balcony overlooking both.

Tonight, a large circular stage had been built in the centre of the floor, while the main stage had been changed into another balcony for punters to watch from.

Instantly, upon descending from Oxford Street into the heaving room, I noticed an excitement in the air not just for the band, but for the unique manner they planned to present their cinematic sound.

What came when the trio, joined by a touring drummer, waded through the audience and mounted the stage was something refreshingly new. Energy met with talent as all musicians – facing into the circle – fed off each other’s enthusiasm in a resoundingly entertaining pop-forward performance.

Yet, as their sound grew into the room, it became clear that few punters would take the unique opportunity the round stage provided.

Due to the intimacy of the OAF, the sound system was not designed for a performance of this style. The large, main speakers – pumping bass so deep it felt like my atoms were vibrating – were positioned on either side of the main stage (turned balcony). This meant there was always a clear – ‘sonic front’ to the room. More so, as Damo the sound engineer told me afterwards, if Angeline – the lead vocalist – had come near to these main speakers, the feedback ‘would have given everyone a haircut’. This meant that her joyous, infectious dancing was restricted to only one half of the circle.

Ultimately, the egalitarian idea of playing in-the-round was all but impossible. The vast majority of the audience naturally gravitated to the side of the stage Angeline was restricted to, and then naturally the band turned to face them.

Stubbornly though – committing to the desired effect of the transformed space – I positioned myself apart from this main audience. Standing between the main speakers and the band, I found myself immersed in the new perspective.

I submitted to the bass as it tore my atoms apart, while I savoured the delay-rich grooves as they glued them back together. In the difficult circumstances, Damo – who had only ever mixed a show like this in an arena – could claim as much of the credit for the quality of the performance as the band. By cranking the delay in the satellite speakers all the way up, he managed to bring a warmth to the music which beautifully complemented Telenova’s
electronic rhythms.

This is not to say the band’s performance was at all lacking. Dancing along with us, they delivered fan favourites, while also graciously introducing a new catalogue.

For the first time ever, the band played fresh releases off their new EP Bitcrush as well as debuting unreleased tracks In the Name of Your Love, The Deep, and Vapour – announcing a new album they expect to release in the near future.

This new music, accepted with open arms by adoring fans, promises to elevate Telenova’s name within Australian pop to new heights. While sticking to familiar ideas, it bravely incorporates experimentation, and artistry taking their sound well beyond their previous work.

This experimentation – not only within their music but in their bold choice to transform the OAF into a new environment must be commended – successful or not. As music, art, and performance are consistently repeated to the point of exhaustion, it is a delight to be reminded of the magic in turning the familiar into something new.