Cut Off Your Hands – Expectations Tour
Oxford Arts Factory, Sunday July 27

By Lin Ma

It was supposed to be one of those 'coming of age' shows to mark the soon-to-be released You And I, otherwise known as Cut of Your Hands' debut album. So after a series of support acts that ranged from a White Stripes rip-off (The Vignettes), a shirtless acoustic guitarist (Kirin J Callinan) who was a touch too avant-garde (even for Oxford Arts goers, I dare say) to the refreshing Nirvana-esque angst of Brisbane boys Violent Soho, headliner Cut Off Your Hands finally stepped on stage before a very expectant Sunday night crowd. A buzz was in the air.

Channelling surges of energy from the stage to the floor is what this New Zealand four-piece is renowned for, and adhering to tradition they did just that. Well, at least for the first few songs. Delivering a punchy energetic first half, the boys reeled in fans (and fans to-be) hook, line and sinker, with lead singer Nick Johnston literally immersing himself into the mini moshpit during the opener and signature powerpop track 'Closed Eyes'. Even bimbos in the crowd couldn't resist a dance (or two or three), jumping onto the stage at every opportunity to showcase their moves. And after an enthusiastic Johnston had awkwardly clamoured down from the sound desk back onto the stage, the room was soon blasted with the effervescent sounds of cult hit 'Still Fond'.

Dabbling in instrumental moments to strut their musical stuff during 'Happy As Can Be' (a new song off their record), however, didn't quite work to their advantage, as the audience's attention seemed to drift far far away. The crowd were simply less than responsive; flat, slightly apathetic, and wanting more of that catchy bubblegum indie rock that Cut Off Your Hands has famously entangled themselves with. Even the crazy on-stage antics of an animated Johnston (body jerking around on stage whilst beating his personal floor tom with a drumstick) did little to sustain interest. Thankfully, before we knew it, guitarist Michael Ramirez strummed the familiar chords of light-hearted indie pop track, "Oh Girl" and fans were reeled in once again.

 Yet just when things were picking up, particularly after melodic punk-rock numbers 'Expectations' and 'Beyond the Blue' both finished on somewhat of a high, the band ceased playing. Johnston thanked the crowd and the four walked off stage. No encore no nothing. The night was over, and that was that.

 Cut Off Your Hands' much anticipated debut album, You And I, will definitely be more than a blip on the new music radar, but this last Sydney show was, sadly, one that left adoring fans hanging. It was perhaps more a PR stunt to plug an album, a place to showcase new hairdos and outfits than a show to thrill, let loose and celebrate fresh talent in the live music world.