Photo: Justin Edwards

Flannel-wearing Mansfield punks Violent Soho deliver a solid set of angsty, distorted rock that recalls the previous decade. The decision to let their music speak for itself is well-advised, as echoing feedback between songs serves as teasing precursors to the next cyclonic wall of sound. Heads bang, and bodies are thrown around the stage with reckless abandon. Hastily dropped instruments and a proclamation of ‘buy our shit!’ at set’s close summarises their unpretentious attitude.

The Scare take half an hour to elicit a response from the mostly apathetic audience, but their set takes a turn for the awesome when singer Kiss Reid drops into the crowd during their final song. If Reid isn’t coked out of his mind, his stage persona sure is, as he mumbles unintelligibly between songs and stares into the middle distance. He’s happy to trade body blows with a small but dedicated throng, while his bandmates pummel their instruments and unceremoniously leave the stage. The Birmingham-based expatriates’ unremarkable, pointy punk jaunts may not stay with me for long, but memories of the shambolic end to tonight’s set will. A+ for entertainment value.

Though recently $25,000 richer thanks to their Australian Music Prize award, The Mess Hall are the same tight rock outfit we’ve come to expect. Jed Kurzel regularly looks across at drummer Cec Condon for reassurance between spitting words and attacking his guitar. Some early technical issues during Metal And Hair clearly annoy Kurzel, but he handles the situation well; the song only becomes more enjoyable later in the set. My main gripe is the duo’s reliance on bass guitar samples during many of their newer songs like Pulse, which removes any chance of improvisation. Crowd favourite Keep Walking only needs one thing, to quote a dated internet meme: more cowbell. Though Condon’s marching 4/4 beat becomes tiresome, Lock And Load and Disco 1 during the encore ensure a satisfying departure.

ANDREW MCMILLEN

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