Words by Patrick Staveley.

Photography by Ryan Morgan.

These days it seems like too small a venue for them, but the Dee Why RSL was the beautifully intimate location of another spectacular Lime Cordiale set on March 17.

Not even a minute into the gig and you just feel an aura from the band, that it’s such a joy to be in their presence for the evening. They make a dramatic and exciting entrance, with their name announced atmospherically like they’re being summoned by a game show host. No Plans to Make Plans opens the gig perfectly, setting the tone for the show and making you realise this night is going to be one big vibe. 

It’s one of their first shows since January, and with a couple months’ break the boys are full of energy. Lead vocalist Louis Leimbach’s voice is on the money and still clear as day despite the noise of the excited crowd. His brother, Oli, is likely having the best time of all, moving and singing to the tunes as if he’s a fan of the band, all while playing the guitar to ease. He’s a jack of all trades, adding in the occasional clarinet cameo and showing his lead vocal chops on Colin.

There wasn’t one song that the crowd wasn’t ecstatic to hear as the band kept rolling through the hits. Money, Can I Be Your Lover and On Our Own, are set staples and rightfully so while 2022 releases Country Club, and Facts of Life are already memorised word-for-word by the crowd. The latter contains an irresistible bass line which arguably best showcases the chill and laid back sound of the band.

Lime Cordiale’s popular Triple J Like a Version cover of The Divinyls I Touch Myself made its way into the set as usual with Oli tongue-in-cheek dedicating it to all the single people in the crowd. It’s another excuse for a pumping crowd singalong. 

Colin rounds out the main set in glorious fashion. I’m curious if Colin Hay will make a surprise appearance to perform this with the band on their US tour. The two Leimbach brothers return to the stage alone for the encore, challenging each side of the room in a noise contest before everyone bands back together to belt out the catchy Waking Up Easy. The rest of the band return as Temper Temper follows before rounding the show out with one of their most successful songs, Robbery.

Beginning their Fantastical Country Club Experience on the Northern Beaches, the group are playing over half a dozen shows in the country before their touring ramps up.

They head off to the UK and the US later this year, taking breakthrough Australian act Teenage Dads with them, who were spotted in the crowd on Friday evening ahead of their own Sydney shows. The group are covering the UK across two and a half weeks in May while playing a multitude of dates in the US from July to August as their star continues to shine abroad.