Cub Sport, Gentle Aussie Invaders

Hide your kids. Turn the lights off. Put a sheet over the Steely Dan record on your wall. The Aussies are coming here.

I love it and you can too. In my opinion, this is the greatest rock invasion on the planet since the British Invasion of the 60’s and before that, when the meteor that struck Earth wiped out the dinosaurs slightly less than 66 million years ago (“the other 60’s”). Depending on your tastes and the genres you peruse, there’s Tame Impala, King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard, Empire of the Sun, Skeggs, Hockey Dad, Dune Rats, Nick Cave, Courtney Barnett, Flume, and Mallrat, just to name a few. Is anyone not convinced yet? Australians are sick musicians.

Hailing from Brisbane,Cub Sport has further confirmed my theory that there’s an Australian lid for every American music lover’s pot. Their sound is smooth, weighty, and intimate, feelings I experienced first hand at Stubbs’ indoor stage on Sunday night.

The Brisbane Bunch entrance onlookers at Austin’s Stubbs.

I arrived mid-set for the opener, Minor Poet, a charming trio playing peppy indie rock with a talented female guitarist. After a bit of observing, I popped outside to check out Cub Sport’s merch table. There was a really cool black t-shirt with a colorful design resembling a Catholic stain glass tableau featuring a dove, a snake, and roses. With hand drawn Gothic lettering above and below the design, this shirt was right up my alley. The design was even created by band member, Sam Netterfield. Due to their Australian nature, I discovered Cub Sport does not accept Venmo or credit card. This is all good and well for tax purposes but this shirt and I unfortunately are not together.

One day, shirt. One day.

Cub Sport began their set with a three to four minute acapella vocal performance by singer, Tim Nelson. It was a powerful display of skill and a sudden plunge into the emotional depth which sustained the rest of the show. The guy has chops… and a stirring falsetto. A drummer and two keys supplied the ethereal synth and beat underlying Tim’s incantations. Last year, Cub Sport made big news when Tim Nelson and keyboardist Sam Netterfield, who grew up as childhood friends, were legally married in Australia. The tight bond was certainly felt in the band’s music and performance. Despite not having the biggest turn out (Sunday night but I was surprised, I don’t think I’ve ever seen Stubb’s indoor stage at under 2/3 capacity), Cub Sport captivated the crowd with an intimate performance.

This is Cub Sport’s third full length album and US tour. The summer is upon us now, and I recommend listening to Cub Sport by the pool. “Hawaiian Party” has been a frequent play of mine, as the sound registers closer to my indie roots. I’d recommend “Come on Mess Me Up” and “Sometimes” if you’re trying to get more in-your-feels. Enjoy. See shows. Carpe Summer.