When it was announced that Dub Dub Goose was playing at The Polo this reviewer was immediately taken back to 2010 when they were billed alongside Agency Dub Collective and The Red Eyes at Melbourne’s The Spot. As well as being an energetic and innovative group, they always took the self-titular dub in directions less predictable than their Canberra contemporaries: more up-tempo and regularly crossing streams with soul-funk and ska.
It was so great to hear those vibes come full circle with renewed relevance on a foggy May night in Turner.
Sharing musicians in any music scene comes with risks. When the drummer for both bands on the bill calls in with a debilitating injury, whole shows can get pulled. Were it not for the adaptability and talent of our local musos, able to jump in the chair at short notice, I may not be here writing. The understudies’ work was seamless and ensured a night of packed dancefloor with the rest of us revellers jostling for standing room amongst many stubbornly claimed dining tables. Pierogi is life.
Nyash! opened with a bang or 10! Their lineup is so huge, they barely fit in shot without wide-angle trickery. Pulsing rhythm from djembe and drum kit held the dancers from the get go as Canberra’s finest saxophone duo took us away on their journey through Ethio-Jazz, Ska and Afrobeat. Is it the oriental scales that draw the listener in and the captivating rhythms that keep us hooked? I look forward to more of it. Excellent mix and nice to hear some classics as well as originals penned by the band.
Dub Dub Goose shared more than a few members with Nyash!, including a self-dubbing-trumpet master. That kind of pyrotechnics doesn’t work without a spacious backbone. Fortunately, a mad dripping bass roll was all the warmth required to represent with the name. Solid song structures were even in the mix, with catchy hooks and positive message key to this band’s enduring good feels. It would be interesting to see which way they go if they continued; if you ask me, more dub, more dub, more goose. The final trombone-led encore was ecstatic.
The Polo currently reigns as best guarantee of fun on the north side, due to the excellent amenity, beautiful audio quality, lack of any narcs and the best food/drink by far. Another bumper night out brought to you by Clandestino.

Drago Rivera – freelance writer