They pranced onto the stage like members of a circus, carrying instruments, smiling wide and donning bold outfits. In all of the shows I have been to, I’ve never seen an artist or group look so enthusiastic to greet their audience.
But when Lime Cordiale broke into “Money,” they proved that while they do not take themselves too seriously, they have serious talent when it comes to putting on a show.
The quirky Aussies brought their unique brand of alternative rock halfway across the world. Asking the audience how many were from the band’s homeland, a small amount of enthusiastic hands went up. But the intimate venue was packed full with local fans singing along to every song.
“We don’t want too many Australians here – then what’s the point of being in Chicago?” said bassist and singer Louis Leimbach.
At one point, Oli asked the audience if they knew how to do the salsa. The band members began dancing on stage, and then he bolted away and jumped into the audience to start dancing with a fan, asking afterward if he had the consent to do so, but also whether a lawyer was present.
Everyone cheered and began to sing along when they kicked off a groovy, soulful cover of “I Touch Myself” by the Divinyls (also from Australia). Louis threw in a touch of Marvin Gaye with the line “when I get that feeling, I want sexual healing.”
Before taking a slower note with “Waking Up Easy” the band members gave the audience the finger, and noted that “F*** you!” can be a term of endearment.
Lime Cordiale is personable and a lot of fun. The fullness of their live set with strong vocals and live instrumentation led to a strong show.
In addition to the guitars, keys and drums, for many songs the band members brought out their trombone, clarinet, and trumpet to add depth. On “No Plans to Make Plans,” Louis played kazoo into the microphone, bringing whimsical and silliness to the track.
I went in knowing a couple songs by this indie band from Australia, and walked away after seeing this new-to-me band perform as a big fan, for the songs themselves as well as the fun they brought to the stage.
