live reviews
THE HARDONS, GOON ON THE ROCKS, WALKEN Crowbar 24 Apr Through some stroke of bad luck, or appropriately misinterpreted intelligence reports, Brisbane is bringing in ANZAC day with two legends of Australian rock’n’roll, The Hard-Ons and the Celibate Rifles, playing at different venues on the same night. In no small part due to the fact that Crowbar is pretty vacant while local hellraisers Walken get up on stage, the two-piece do the no-frills punk and roll
rock sneer filtered through Australian larrikinism. Whether they fully appreciate or are aware of the fact or not, these bands owe a debt of gratitude to the headliners. Yet, for all their legacy and influence on the scene, when The Hard-Ons get up on stage they do so without fanfare. Most people in the crowd don’t know they’re about to play until they’re well into the first song; they don’t announce themselves and don’t walk out to the uproarious applause they deserve. It’s fitting as much as it is a travesty, but the trio seems unfazed. No frills has always been a part of their modus operandi, and tonight is no exception. The closest the dudes come to any kind of real production value is taking their shirts off in tandem. Other than that they just bang out
HARD-ONS @ CROWBAR. PIC: TERRY SOO
in the style of Winnebago Deal and they do it well. They bash the shit out of their instruments with little heed to genre or style, only trying to make a big, loud, fast noise. Watching Goon On The Rocks you get a sense that they’re soon to take off on the same trajectory as Melbourne’s reigning punk rock kings Clowns. A few more years and Goon On The Rocks could very well be the new vanguard of the national scene. Tonight they go from jokey ska microsongs to grindcore numbers to proper hardcore numbers. What’s funny watching both of tonight’s support acts is just how much you can feel the ethos of The HardOns – the vaguely fuck-you genre mash-ups, the extreme willingness for self-deprecation and that stereotypical punk 22 • THE MUSIC • 29TH APRIL 2015
Dr Bombay are classic pub rock. They’re noisy, pounding and energetic. Gary Slater berates the crowd with a call of “stand at the front, motherfuckers,” but it’s said in jest and the beer-swigging crowd doesn’t seem to mind. They’re the perfect lead-in to the night’s headliners, Aussie punk rock legends The Celibate Rifles. The Rifles have played around Australia extensively since 1979, but from the excited reaction of
HARD-ONS @ CROWBAR. PIC: TERRY SOO
cuts from the back catalogue. They can switch between metal, hardcore, punk and power-pop with a dexterity that the support bands could only ever dream of. And when they hit cuts off last year’s Peel Me Like A Egg the fun keeps up – Burning Up On Re-Entry is one of the set highlights. And then, with about as much fanfare as their entrance, The Hard-Ons exit the stage. Tom Hersey
THE CELIBATE RIFLES, DR BOMBAY, THE 52 PICKUPS The Underdog 24 Apr The 52 Pickups warm up the room with a sound cleaved
He revisits this sentiment later on. “Look up Snakehips. Trust me.” (This scribe did. It’s pretty darned catchy.)
from classic rock. Murray Johnstone sings confidently and plays guitar along with Damien Sanewski, while Kylie Lovejoy provides a steady, thumping bass line. Drummer Mike Squire also doubles as a trumpeter, adding a unique touch.
There are a couple of slower songs that don’t suit the mood quite as much, but do give the crowd a breather. Some of the audience members are relentless in their song requests and Lovelock has to tell them to be patient. With a backlog of songs as big as theirs, they can’t play everybody’s favourites. By the end of the encore though, it seems that everybody is more than happy; a procession of flushed, sweaty, thirsty fans stagger into the street. The Rifles put on another solid, energetic show with as much rock’n’roll conviction as any new band out there. Kathy Pollock
HARD-ONS @ CROWBAR. PIC: TERRY SOO
the audience, you’d be forgiven for thinking that it’s been years. Having played a stripped-back set the night before, punters are eagerly anticipating a balls-to-the-wall electric set. They’re not let down. The band steams through their massive discography, playing hits from as early as debut album, 1983’s Sideroxylon. The audience sings enthusiastically along with singer Damien Lovelock, roaring along to sardonic favourite, Wonderful Life. Lovelock puts on a great show, pantomiming surfing movements, signing a couple of ardent fans’ Rifles LPs midset and chatting with the crowd. “I couldn’t sleep the other night so I turned on the telly and saw a video called Snakehips,” he tells us at one point. “It’s a couple of Japanese, or Chinese women, dancing. It’s mesmerising.”
MORE REVIEWS
themusic.com.au/music/live-reviews
PIERCE BROTHERS @ WOOLLY MAMMOTH
Pierce Brothers @ Woolly Mammoth Sam Smith @ Brisbane Riverstage Halfway @ The Triffid