“Fuck yeah,” was the first thing Jungle Giants frontman Sam Hales screamed to tonight’s audience and it accurately summed up the entirety of the band’s performance. From opener Come and Be Alone With Me, this gig had a party atmosphere. It was a very raucous crowd for an indie rock gig; there were numerous crowd surfers, people running on stage, a ton of dancing, and someone even bought Hales a beer mid-concert. Hales repeatedly told the crowd that they were the best Melbourne audience, and it’s clear he wasn’t just sucking up.
Consistency is perhaps The Jungle Giants’ greatest skill. Every Jungle Giants gig is a high energy, crazy affair. Each song is catchy and well thought out, driven by Cesira Aitken’s searing lead guitar riffs and Hales’ excellent melodies. From Mr Polite, the band’s original breakthrough (and the crowd’s favourite on the night), to new single Every Kind Of Way, there has been a progressive change in The Jungle Giants’ music. The latter is far more experimental, but still just as catchy. While the singles in between, such as Skin to Bone and She’s a Riot, got just as much love. There were no let downs, just brilliance. And with two new songs off their upcoming album previewed here, fans have a lot to look forward to.
In spite of playing to a small crowd that had no idea who they were, opening act Foreign/National excelled. The proverb ‘dance like nobody’s watching’ clearly resonates with the keyboardist, who displayed some excellent and over the top moves. With catchy indie rock similar to The Jungle Giants, some cowbell, and good banter, the crowd was very pleased.
Moses Gunn Collective attempted to warm up the crowd before The Jungle Giants’ arrival. The band try to sound like a more fun version of Tame Impala, or a more radio-friendly version of King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard. While not a bad idea, their attempt falls far short. A combination of disjointed writing, poor melodies and annoying vocals bored nearly everyone in the room. At the risk of sounding like David Stratton from At The Movies, it was rather contrived. The only thing these guys had going for them was their costumes, which seemed compiled from both an op-shop and a six year old girl’s glitter treasure trove.
BY JOSH THORBURN
Loved: Everything.
Hated: Nothing.
Drank: Water.
