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 Photo: Justin Edwards
The buzz surrounding Violent Soho and their chaotic live shows continues to grow, ensuring a large showing of support for their opening set. More than standing their, arms folded with stoic expressions, the crowd are a mix of bobbing heads and genuine smiles. Particularly from the uninitiated few who have yet to see the band and seem to struggle with thinking that such a band could hail from the Brisbane suburbs. With a large quotient of eye-catching females in the crowd, Violent Soho show that rock & roll can be a powerful aphrodisiac. Why so? Well, how do I put this delicately? … They’re not exactly the most glamorous band in the world. At their most bare, it’s four pale teenagers with long hair, spotty faces and old t-shirts. Not vintage, but truly old, Ren & Stimpy in the case of lead singer Luke Boerdam. But the primal screams emanating from Boerdam’s mouth are even more impressive than his clothing choices, which I assume little thought is given to on the night. Both guitarists (the sullen James Tidswell bolsters the sound throughout) are truly learning to harness feedback as their weapons, while bassist Luke Henery looks close to dislodging eyeballs with his four string throughout the show. It takes a special band to turn “Fuck you, I hate your face” into a rousing farewell chorus, but the boys do it well with Muscle Junkie before sheepishly and sweatily slinking off the stage.
Seven years is a long time between tours for a band as highly coveted as …And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead, especially in a business where most bands don’t survive anywhere near that time. With little fanfare and acknowledgement, the six members pound through the obvious introduction choice, The Century Of Self’s opening two tracks Giants Causeway and Far Pavilions. That latter track is the first of many displaying the power of Conrad Keeley and Jason Reece’s dual vocal attack. Keeley’s guitars pile up like dead soldiers on the side of the stage, his attacks snapping many strings and even splitting the neck on one occasion. While the show was obviously going to be heavy with songs from Century Of Self tracks spanning their 15 year career were given ample room to breathe, with the exception of the So Divided album, which was notably absent. Oh well, that album was balls anyway. Amp issues make the mammoth Will You Smile Again For Me? sound even more ferocious; its lumbering attack seeming more deserved. A higher tempo in that song added intensity, whereas it is almost the band’s undoing on Another Morning Stoner amidst flubbed vocals and sloppy chords. Caterwaul is another chance for Reece to stalk the crowd, an anxious roadie following closely with a microphone lead. Most surprising, however, are the final songs of the night that are rife with extended instrumentals and feedback freak outs, perhaps a slight name change to …And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Grateful Dead is in order? In any case, it’s a rare treat to see this reinvigorated band on stage with a live show that lives up to their reputation.
MITCH ALEXANDER
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