Photo: Kristen Ashton

You Are Not Alone. Beat It. Billie Jean. As Facebook statuses worldwide changed to either commiserate the passing of a pop icon or make jokes about his controversial life, tonight’s bill respectively offers up three hastily figured out Michael Jackson covers. Adelaide’s effervescent pop rock act The Sundance Kids have more than enough indie sensibilities to be well at home on tonight’s bill. Lightning hasn’t struck twice for Perth four-piece End Of Fashion. After playing breakthrough hit O Yeah second up, crowd interest in the band noticeably plateaus; their high-energy Beat It cover the only exception to this. Evermore earn the distinction tonight of being the only band on the bill to attempt the solo of their MJ cover of choice, but only after playing their Truth Of The World: Welcome To The Show album from start to finish. Against a backdrop of hundreds of TV screens flashing in hypnotic cacophony, Evermore deviate from their established sound to explore the dirty basslines and pounding krautrock backbeats of the Truth Of The World. Forsaking the cornerstones of their charm, it’s apparent the crowd’s cheering is most uproarious when the Hume brothers return to the stage to play a short back catalogue encore.

TOM HERSEY

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The Step Inn - Fri Jun 26

Tom Hall’s opening foray is more whisper than roar. His half-hour set builds from delayed, distant drones to an immense looped, layered sound that’s plucked, rubbed and clawed from six strings, but it’s difficult to surmise whether this is a set that he particularly enjoys.

Hall’s soundtrack becomes Secret Birds’, as they clamber to stage one-by-one. Hall is still manning the keyboard and microphone throughout their set, though his contribution is buried beneath three monolithic-riffing guitars set to ‘stun’. The five-piece precariously tightrope-walk between discipline and improvisation; the constant sense of unpredictability is their most potent weapon.

Neckhold successfully confuse the hell out of us. The stabs of distortion that erupt from the speakers serve as a hasty soundcheck, until two figures begin screaming into microphones before an array of effects pedals. They perform for three cathartic minutes, tops, before spending more time packing up gear and dismantling folding tables. Worth it, I guess.

On a night of otherwise clear artistic vision, Blank Realm are memorable in the worst possible way. I suppose that they should be congratulated for navigating a half-hour of rock genre mish-mash without touching upon a single interesting musical idea. Their meandering creations aren’t even charmingly bad; instead, we’re privy to a woeful assortment of songs that I’ll gladly never hear again.

“Sorry. Technical difficulties.” offer Melbourne’s Grey Daturas, whose improvised set is cut short by a dead bass. It’s unfortunate, as the trio conjure some seriously dark thoughts while we stare into their gaping sonic maw. As Bonnie Mercer grinds her guitar’s headstock into the stage while attempting to find the room’s feedback sweet spot, it occurs to me that their high-volume noise evokes a similar response to the imagined effect of primitive man’s fire-gazing. The sheer force of their performance is near-therapeutic: 40 minutes later, we’re aurally cleansed, if left wanting.

ANDREW MCMILLEN

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Brisbane Powerhouse - Fri Jun 26

Kicking off this all ages gig, local upstarts Last Dinosaurs don’t really contribute anything special to the world of bouncy angular dance rock, but it’s still a commendably high-energy set with only a few nervous comments from lead singer and guitarist Sean Caskey. It must break your heart to dedicate your life to a career where the main payoff is to get laid, only to look into a crowd and see a sea of tweens. This is the dilemma faced by Philadelphia Grand Jury, the recent recipients of much hype and praise that I very much don’t understand. Berkfinger’s caked on fake American accent grates very quickly, while his pre-programmed voice-overs further give the feeling that you’re watching a lunchtime show at Chuck E Cheese. Of course the kiddies love their bubblegum garage pop, but have you watched Video Hits lately? Those little bastards will watch anything. But the band under the real spotlight tonight is Yves Klein Blue, fresh from an extended period in the US and with a debut album to show off. It’s their first local show in a long time and it shows; some songs meander with nerves while others threaten to explode all over the crowd. The new songs are solid, if lacking in much evolution or development (one such example, Make Up Your Mind, sounds like three songs being played at once, none of which are that great). Already a rock god in his own mind, leader Michael Tomlinson still appears to be reading lines rather than playing the part, but a cheeky smile prevails. The crowd sing-along in We’re Getting Wise is a nice touch, but it’s their unhinged version of Springsteen’s Born To Run that is almost worth attendance alone, even if I felt like the only other person that knew the song. Yves Klein Blue’s return is not the fulfillment of prophecy we were hoping for, but tonight’s sell-out show is nothing to laugh at.

MITCH ALEXANDER

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The Hi-Fi - Fri Jun 26

Ex-pat Aotearoans and co-Dub Conspiritors Budspells are up from Sydney and in full funk as we enter the buzzing Hi-Fi; only moments after the “sold out” sign goes up at the door to the disappointment of many still standing out in the rain.

Our irrepressible host The Mighty Asterix was there for the beginning of New Zealand’s love affair with all things Rastafari, and tonight he spreads that love in flows of words rich with rhythm and melody with selector DJ Parks.

Out on her own promoting debut solo album Time Is Not Much, Aotearoan hip hop diva Ladi6 exudes cool throughout her set, stating at the outset that she’s about hip hop, funk, soul and reggae; it is soon evident that this is as much a statement of fact as a philosophical viewpoint.
The Mighty Asterix keeps the stage warm with a few more Rasta-rhymes before introducing Salmonella Dub and their big band complete with brass, bass and guitars for their tenth national Australian tour. They open with the One Drop East builder Dub Survivor, which sounds amazing with the blasts of brass providing welcome respite from the all-electronic line-up so far.

Love, Sunshine And Happiness is played with renewed vigour and is one of only a few in the set from their last LP Heal Me, before introducing their most recent tune, a collaboration with The Mighty Asterix Freak Local. From chilled dub to frenetic dance, Salmonella Dub have returned to form with an electric live set worthy of their illustrious history.

JAMES STAFFORD

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QUT Guild Bar - Sat Jun 27

Is it any surprise that the drinks lines at The Guild Bar tonight are staggeringly long? Both a tribute to getting merry, messy, loose, sloshed, wasted and an excuse to engage in the irresponsible practices resulting in such states, the Drunk & Disorderly tour sees a selection of some of Australia’s finest hardcore acts play in an atmosphere of alcohol-lubricated revelry. A hip hop act on a hardcore bill, Louie Knuxx fail to engage tonight’s crowd, most of whom are more interested in holding their place in the drinks line. However, all credit must go to New Zealander Knuxx for realising this and urging crowd participation by suggesting, “this is the drunk and disorderly tour, not the fucking sober and gentlemanly tour.” As the drink lines continue to grow, forming a monster intent on consuming the majority of venue, Break Even storm the stage and throw down. As incendiary as napalm and as explosive as a fire-bomb, the up and coming Perth four piece play hardcore punk with a rabid intensity. Cuts from their growing catalogue, including just-released debut full-length, are like a call to arms, commanding pit activity. A clothing company that also plays music, the crowd is saturated with the myriad of Deez Nuts merch designs tonight. JJ Peters is a born frontman. Exuding a larrikin charm and fierce dynamism as he navigates the pit through a blur of gang vocals and massive mosh parts. When the levels of blind drunkenness in The Guild Bar are noticeably high, Brisbane’s The Amity Affliction seal the deal. Their distinct dual vocal cuts from Severed Ties booming from the PA with devastating clarity. The show finishes, but the night continues on, as hordes of kids stumble into the night. Some drunk, others disorderly – a handful both.

TOM HERSEY

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The Zoo - Sat Jun 27

Twenty-first century bluesman Claude Hay warms up the crowd with his wailing voice, weeping guitars and two feet constantly occupied by a percussion set-up and pedals that trigger samples recorded and looped back in real-time. It’s an impressive display of multi-tasking, but more important is the end result. I’m not sure I’m onboard with his accelerated re-imagining of Queen’s We Will Rock You, but points must be awarded for the bravery with which he dismantles the yobbo staple. The Protectors from Sydney tear through a manic set that is hard to define but easy to enjoy. Sometimes drifting into hi-hat heavy dance rock, at other times bordering on balls out rock & roll, the audience are at the mercy of rakish protagonist Pete Stals for the entire set. The most formidable blues rock duo in Australia today (I know that’s not saying much, but a band this rocking need a title), The Fumes are a tensile ball of energy from start to finish. Steve Merry’s gritty voice and intricate guitar picking are at their best on Tell Ya Story Walking and recent single Python For A Pillow, while Joel Battersby’s spider-like drumming is hard to take your eyes off. A tremendous blend of blues traditions and punk attitude, the Australian touring circuit is theirs for the taking.

MITCH ALEXANDER

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Photo: Justin Ma

The Hi-Fi was made to maximise listening pleasure … a venue designed for great sound from every angle. Hip hop was always going to provide the real test for the PA; long-suffering fans are used to the lyrics being swallowed and the bass being muddied. Not so when Lazy Grey or the 750 Rebels are on stage; every word and beat are loud and clear, and the packed crowd – mostly huge boys – are digging it immensely. The support acts have a strong following and the room looks like a Hilltop Hoods gig, 10 deep at the bar and brimming with brawny enthusiasm. When they’re done, DJ Sheep gracefully leads the crowd back towards the States, dropping seminal old school tracks around the occasional sampled shout-out to himself. He trails off for Robby Balboa to big up the crowd before the main event. Ghostface Killah has the stage prepared in veteran style: dozens of water bottles nearly hiding the Hennessey and beer, and piles of white towels folded under the decks. His presence is awesome and though the mics are too low for the first tracks, a quick word to the sound deck solves it. His set draws largely from Ironman and Supreme Clientele (um, unfortunately not the albums I’d been listening to that day) with Mighty Healthy, Nutmeg and Daytona 500 hitting sweet spots. Did he Wu Tang? Yes, with a medley ripping through hits and landing on Wu Tang Clan Aint’ Nothing To Fuck With. Did he ODB? Yes, with Shimmy Shimmy Ya. Did he get girls on stage to dance, only to be dismally disappointed by how crap they were? Yes. Did he do a tribute to Michael Jackson, attempting for a minute’s silence that the Brisbane crowd just couldn’t control their whooping for? Yes, unfortunately. Will he ever return? Damn, we hope so.

JANEWORLD

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