The Vasco Era, a blazing trio steeped in blues-rock, earned renown through their explosive stage presence. Sid O'Neil, the frontman, draws notice for his raw and ferocious vocal delivery, his mastery of slide guitar, and his occasional ventures behind percussion. Bass duties fall to his elder sibling Ted O'Neil, while schoolmate Michael "Fitzy" Fitzgerald handles the kit. The three musicians hail from Apollo Bay, and the collective memory of their upbringing in rural Australia shapes the furious swagger and driving stomp that runs through their material. Located near Melbourne in Victoria, Apollo Bay remains a serene seaside resort where no structure may exceed three stories. To secure regular performances, the members relocated to Melbourne, where they built recognition by opening for Gomez, the Black Keys, the Violent Femmes, and fellow countrymen Wolfmother.
Following the release of two EPs—Let It Burn in 2004 and Miles in 2005, each containing the well-liked track "Kingswood"—the Vasco Era traveled to San Francisco to lay down their first full-length, Oh We Do Like to Be Beside the Seaside. Its lead single, "When We All Lost It," appeared in 2006; every song on the album incorporates the word "when" in its title. The record itself surfaced the next year, guided by Jeff Saltzman, who had produced the Killers' Hot Fuss and previously managed Green Day. Radio play on national youth broadcaster Triple J helped the album gain traction, and it earned a nomination for the station's J Award honoring Australian Album of the Year. The band's second album, Lucille, arrived in 2010. They followed swiftly with a self-titled set in 2011 that included the single "Child Bearing Hips."
