Up first, High Tension terrify the small collective of punters gathered in front of stage. Karina Utomo, weighing in at about 45kg and 5’4”, lets loose with her hardcore stomp and banshee-like scream. Awesome, fuzzed out punk rock with a circle pit edge, High Tension kick arse. They belt out Collingwood second in the set. It’s perhaps their most well known song, but no giggles are extracted from the crowd, perhaps because no one can understand exactly what she’s saying. Matthew Young from King Parrot is brought out on stage for High Risk, High Rewards, and between him and Utomo, they manage to stare down everyone in the crowd.
In between sets, Dune Rats drummer BC Michaels is wandering around looking confused, and then before you know it, the Brisbane trio are on stage. They look just as chuffed as they did five years ago when they started impressing Australia with their cheeky smiles and even cheekier music. Funny Guy pops up early in the set, as well as Lola, and DR, DR. I can’t remember a show where I’ve been kicked in the head by crowd-surfers as much as this one. I’m not sure if it’s part of the inebriation the Dunies incite in their fans, or if it’s just the fans themselves, but nobody can stay upright on the sea of hands. Frontman Danny Beusa spends most of the set yelling at friends on the mezzanine level and smashing beers. Out of all of the surf-rock and jangly indie-pop that kicked off in Oz in 2010, there’s a reason why the Dunies have stood the test of time, and on the way, collected a very serious fan base.
For one of Australia’s longest touring bands, older than The Angels, cooler than AC/DC, Cosmic Psychos deserve more recognition. Nevertheless, their live shows, all things considered, still kick arse. Half the audience aren’t really sure what the score is, but the knowing half roar in appreciation as the band roll out on stage, sporting dad-bods at their finest. From their new album Cum The Raw Prawn, Bum For Grubs is hilarious and Fuckwit City is sensationally executed. Amongst a varied set that keeps new and old fans interested, the standout track is Nice Day to Go to the Pub – a sentiment that absolutely everybody can relate to.
As far as double-headers go, Cosmic Psychos/Dune Rats was absolutely outstanding.
BY NAVARONE FARRELL
Photo by Maddison Pitt
Loved: Max chillin’ ay.
Hated: The handful of record execs in suits watching Cosmic Psychos. Ew.
Drank: Too many tinnies of Melbourne Bitter.
