From Melbourne hush to Roadhouse grit

The Paper Kites came up in Melbourne's indie folk scene, built on hushed harmonies and fingerpicked guitars. Lately they have leaned into a dusty, Americana flavor with the At The Roadhouse era, stretching songs with lap steel and slow-burn grooves. That shift from bedroom folk to barroom sway is the arc that frames this tour, and it changes how their catalog lands live. Expect a set that threads early favorites like Bloom and Featherstone with moodier pieces such as Electric Indigo and On The Train Ride Home. Crowds tend to skew mixed in age, quiet but attentive, with clusters of musicians clocking the tunings and couples swaying near the back. Trivia heads love that the twelvefour album was written only between midnight and 4 a.m., and that several Roadhouse tunes were workshopped during unannounced residency nights in a tiny Victorian town. Instrument swapping is common, with David Powys moving from banjo to lap steel while Christina Lacy colors the edges on keys and soft harmonies. All notes on songs and staging here are educated guesses based on recent shows and could differ on the night.

Songs that carry quietly

The Paper Kites crowd, up close

Soft voices, steady hearts

The scene is calm but not static, more like a listening room that grew legs. You will see denim and boots from the Roadhouse sway, linen shirts, and a few vintage jackets that look ready for a late train ride. Fans hum the guitar figure to Bloom and save their full-voice moment for the lift in Featherstone, then drop back to a hush without being asked. Between songs there is a lot of quiet gear talk and quick shouts for deep cuts, often answered with a nod and a smile. Merch leans tactile: thick vinyl of At The Roadhouse, risograph posters, and small photo sets that nod to the residency era. People tend to arrive in pairs or small friend groups, sharing knowing glances when a banjo appears or when the lap steel slides into the spotlight. It feels like a community that values craft and patience, happy to lean in and let the room breathe.

Little rituals

Craft and hush with The Paper Kites

Arrangements that breathe

Live, The Paper Kites keep the vocals front and dry, letting Sam Bentley's low, steady lead sit against close harmonies from the band. Guitars favor chiming, capoed shapes and gentle fingerpicking, with David Powys adding lap steel lines that bend notes like a voice. They often slow the pulse a notch compared to the records so phrases can bloom, which makes refrains land without big volume jumps. Older tracks might get a stripped intro with just voice and one guitar, then the rhythm section slips in halfway to widen the room. A quiet trick they use is retuning one guitar to an open shape so drones ring under the melody; it keeps the sound warm even when the drums drop out. Electric Indigo sometimes arrives with thicker synth pads and a hair slower tempo, while On The Train Ride Home leans on duet singing before the full band joins. Lighting tends toward amber and midnight blue, matching the wood-and-wire tones and giving space for the soft dynamics to speak.

Quiet fireworks

Kindred echoes for The Paper Kites

If you like dust and dusk

Fans of Angus & Julia Stone often connect with the same whispery duets and coastal melancholy. Lord Huron brings story-rich, road-dusted folk rock, which matches the Roadhouse vibe and the filmic pacing that The Paper Kites lean into. If you like crowd-ready acoustic swells and clapped rhythms, The Lumineers sit nearby, though the mood here stays softer and more intimate. For intricate guitar work and moody hush, Ben Howard is a fair neighbor, especially in the way both acts stretch quiet songs without losing shape. Fans of Daughter may also appreciate the grayscale textures and slow builds that pay off in small, careful details.

Overlapping circles