Gold Fields is an electro-rock/neo-new wave band from Australia with a retro 80s dance sound that combines elements of New Order, U2, Friendly Fires, The Police, and Duran Duran.
On Dec. 6, Gold Fields, played one of Philadelphia’s intimate venues, The Barbary. The crowd was moving non-stop, fueled by the energetic and contagious showmanship of Gold Fields live on stage. The band’s charismatic singer, Mark Robert Fuller, knows how to get a crowd’s attention, dancing and running around on stage tirelessly. Yet, the band’s dance-oriented sound is far too impressive and massive for small venues like The Barbary, thanks in part to guitarist Vin Anadar, bassist Luke Peldys, drummer Ryan D’Sylva, and percussionist/keyboardist Rob Clifton, in addition to an intricate light show and special effects.
Featuring two full drum kits and plenty of handheld percussion, the Gold Fields concert experience explodes with kinetic energy. Their lively originals are loaded with multicolored percussion and interwoven vocals. “Meet My Friends” features buzzing keyboards, a wordless vocal hook, and an indelible chorus, reminiscent of The Police’s “Roxanne,” while their eerie “Anxiety” is vibrant with its drawn-out phrases against staccato rhythms.
Though the band’s sound defies specific classification as each song shows off a distinctive identity, a musical thread unifies their originals by contrasting light and darkness. This is particularly evident on the first single of their new album “Dark Again.”
“The lyrics were written about pulling yourself out of a rut,” Fuller told Rolling Stone Magazine. “More specifically, pulling a relationship out of a rut. It’s just about snapping out of a negative mind frame and realizing that you’ve got something pretty special.” Carried along on waves of percolating synthesizer and rippling guitar, the song builds momentum as it surges towards a powerful, sing-along chorus.
Their set highlighted their music and their sound, but Gold Fields also performed a superb cover of Underworld’s classic “Born Slippy” that thrilled the crowd.
The band recently wrapped up a U.S. tour as special guests of Canadian glam-pop artist, Diamond Rings, which was followed by a tour with Brooklyn-based electro artists, St. Lucia. They kicked off 2013 with a new tour to support their debut album, “Black Sun,” which is due to be released on Feb. 26. Their brand new single, “Dark Again,” is receiving early airplay around the country and can be downloaded on iTunes. Gold Fields will be playing the TLA in Philadelphia on Feb. 7th.
Rick Jackson is a fourth-year student majoring in communication studies. He can be reached at RJ689070@wcupa.edu.