Over the past nine weeks Gozilla Bar have been killing it, throwing consistently off the hook parties featuring some of the hottest local acts in one of the most unique venues in Melbourne, the half demolished Normandy Hotel. The penultimate show featuring local punk heroes Bits of Shit and two piece rock outfit Ghetto Ghetto.
Godzilla Bar is the perfect venue in which to see a band like Bits of Shit. It’s small, dark and dingy, with graffiti covering the crumbling walls. It’s kitted out with old threadbare sofas and ancient TV sets showing nothing but static. Sure it’s dilapidated but that just adds to its character and punk-as-fuck aesthetic.
Bits of Shit’s brand of raw and dirty punk fits the vibe of Godzilla perfectly. They blast through a vicious set of 3 minute slabs of acerbic, snotty and high octane punk rock. Vocalist Danny Vanderpol is a wonder to behold as he prowls the stage shaking his hips to the thunderous beats spittinghis lyrics into any one of the 3 mics strategically placed around the stage. At one point he pulls out a can of spray paint and daubs slogans on walls, before running into the crowd and shouting in their faces. Unfortunately the mics aren’t the clearest and it’s hard to hear what the bug eyed vocalist is singing about but you can by his stage presence alone that he’s angry about something.
Compared to most of the young crowd Bits of Shit are no spring chickens but they play with the energy and venom of a bunch of snotty 17 year old ADHD sufferers. They play punk the way it should be played: Fast, loud and abrasive. They channel the anarchic spirit, the sweat and the spit of the original punk bands of the 1970’s but give it an updated freshness which last week earned their latest LP Cut Sleeves the title ‘Album of the Week’ in this very mag.
There are only two people in Ghetto Ghetto but boy do they make a helluva racket with just a set of drums, a mic, a guitar and an effects pedal. Whereas Bits of Shit represent the old school vanguard of punk, Ghetto Ghetto have a more modern sound injecting the punk template with elements of stoner and post-rock. Think Dead Kennedys meets Kyuss with a touch of The White Stripes.
There’s a real sense of immediacy to the set as the two piece hammer out their dirty, low-slung grooves with energy and purpose. The gasoline fuelled desert rock of songs like ‘Throw Your Rope’ and ‘Habits’ gets the lively crowd rocking out along with the band.
In what seems like no time at all their set is over, but like they say “time flies when you’re having fun” and fun it is. Low down, dirty, dangerous and destructive but fun nonetheless. Next Saturday is the last ever gig at Godzilla Bar. I suggest you get down there if you want to experience one of these raucous rock and roll parties for yourself.
BY ADAM ROBERTSHAW
LOVED: The total carnage the Godzilla Bar dudes are committed to creating.
HATED: When it was over.
DRANK: Godzilla Juice.
