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The Trouble With Templeton

Alhambra Lounge                25-4-13
Brisbane’s Best Kept Secret

The Trouble With Templeton is one of Brisbane’s best-kept secrets; an absolute gem of a band fronted by Thomas Calder. Upon listening to Calder’s voice I imagine him growing up in a musical family -perhaps as an orphan at a gospel church in New Orleans- however, after speaking to him outside Alhambra Lounge last Friday, I found this couldn’t be further from the truth. He heralds from Brisbane, has non-musical parents and received no formal training, a testament to proving you don’t need musical lineage to become a fine musician.

It scares me how powerfully Cadlar turns his lyrics into melodies, intertwining them with beautiful guitar accompaniments and exuding them in an engaging live performance. Each song cuts straight to the emotive core of anyone truly listening, captivating your senses till long after the song has finished. The calibre of musicianship that runs through the rest of the band is also rock solid. Ritchie Daniell (Drums) and and Sam Pankhurst (Bass) both have foundations in The Southbank Conservatorium of Music, casually sneaking in free jazz grooves in-between songs. Part way through the set the band left the stage, leaving guitarist Hugh Middleton to perform a solo piece. Even without the rest of the band behind him, the performance was still just as captivating.

After The Trouble With Templeton had finished, Cadlar was greeted with a small tribute of fans excitedly waiting to talk to him. I hope the rest of Alhambra Lounge’s ‘Lambda’ audience appreciated the bands ability just as much these people did.

The Trouble With Templeton have recently wrapped up a string of tour dates across America -including SXSW Festival!- and are currently in the midst of recording their second album. When it comes out, do what you have to do, and go buy it. Your world will stop, and you might just find that band you have been searching for.

-Words and Photography by Thomas Oliver.