Photo: Justin Edwards

The winter air is palpably crisp even upstairs at The Zoo, however everyone’s geared up for another night of southeast Queensland-brewed rock – this time courtesy of the city’s flagship indie label Plus One Records and four of its most prominent acts.

“These guys should really be headlining more often” is my predominant thought as openers Black Mustang charge through their familiar yet still-exhilarating repertoire. Pin-sharp as ever, Jimmy, The One and Suzie are firm head-nodding favourites; the punky Do It Like A Man sees sticksman Joe Hemingway end the song with a John Bonham-esque, round-the-kit drum solo and the mini-epic Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea makes for a resounding, riff-heavy set finish.

The decibel level firmly set, it’s business as usual for The Blackwater Fever. Undeterred by the lack of observers, the duo unleash their primal stompers, every slide lick and kick drum thump oozing with swampy grit. Signature blues moans Blackwater and Lovesick are as testosterone-laden as the Origin squad’s front row (for the lack of a better comparison) and Shane Hicks’ rough-as-a-bear’s-arse guitar and guttural howl are still the closest things to Dan Auerbach we have in this town.

Mexico City’s latest opus Brown Bird has won them a number of approving shouts (including one from this writer) in the Aussie music media, and tonight the four-piece are keen to demonstrate why. Frontman Adam Toole and axeman Simon Radich might wear their Neil Young/Tom Petty influences on their sleeves, yet make for a convincing ‘heartland rock’ pairing, powering through tunes like Ghetto, clang-heavy

Damn Shame and Sometimes I Wonder with Crazy Horse earnestness.

Launching their new album Submarine tonight, Rollerball bring their “‘big riffs, monster bass, scorched vocals and Zappa drums”‘ stew to a boil, adding plenty of classic rock spice along the way. Visceral rifforama/ramalama abounds; singer Matt ‘Tenpin’ Boland channels raw screamers like Stevie Wright while guitarist Dave Talon cranks it up on Lowly Sublime, Jonathan E and Take Me Back To Hell. Ker-fucking-rang!

DENIS SEMCHENKO

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