Nothing seems more appropriate than writing this review two years to the day since I first saw Violent Soho live – ever since that fateful One Night Stand performance in my home town of Mildura my adoration for their live presence was solidified – reiterated only further by their performance at The Forum. When the announcement of this tour first came to light I could not contain my excitement due to it seeing three of my favourite Australian alternative acts converge together on what quickly became a sold-out national tour, however, foreseeably so when you announce a tour with the all Australian heavyweights Violent Soho, DZ Deathrays and Dune Rats.
For what was a sold-out show the intimacy felt like that of a house show; the certain kind of intimacy that comes along with each band on the line-up was present from the get-go. The Goochpalms infectious combination of sultry tones entwined with their infectious energy amping crowds up for a lineup riddled with bands infamous for their live performances. Bursting onto the stage, Australia’s most hyperactive and simultaneously loveable bong-lords among men were met with enormous levels of excitement; continuing to float through track-after-track. Opening their set with ‘Dalai Lama Big Banana Marijuana’, the audience effortlessly were pulled by Dune Rats into a smoke haze of unity, taking shape in the gentle sway that greeted ‘Lola’ and continued through to the overwhelming demand for them to play their latest single, ‘Bullshit’. From the beginning to end of their set the three-piece captivated their audience with their DIY aesthetic, continuing to ride a wave of huge success both nationally and internationally.
When one hears the term two-piece, often you permissibly become sceptical of the ensemble producing more than a glorified acoustic cover of ‘Wonderwall’. However, DZ Deathrays proved to be apart of an exclusive club of artists who stick it to that stereotype. Picking right up where their comrades Dune Rats left off, DZ’ offered forward to audiences a phenomenal amount of strength through their sound, easily making all those in attendance forget that there was in fact only two people on stage producing it. This was especially evident through their song, ‘The Mess Up’.
Following on from what arguably is one of the best line-ups I have played witness to in a very long time, the audiences peaking excitement was greeted by the red glow of Violent Soho’s WACO graphic, illuminating the venue. As anticipation continued to grow, Mansfield’s favourite sons took to the stage amidst a sea of eager applause. The night greeted by fans as the first opportunity to witness Soho’s latest aural lovechild WACO come to life. ‘So Sentimental’ setting the tone for the electrifying set that laid ahead – which welcomed the perfect combination old and new material seeing fans engulfed in their set for its entirety – waves of excitement greeted the new material while old favourites like ‘Saramona Said’ and ‘Neighbour Neighbour’ pulled audiences close like an old friend.
The night quickly drew to a close as fans stumbled their way respectively to swamp the merch tables; discarded cups of beer dropping over as people filed out of the venue. Once more the overall vibe of intimacy hung in the air, however, The Forum was at maximum capacity: it truly felt like you had just come from some kid’s lounge room in the outer suburbs after his house party to which Dune Rats, DZ Deathrays and Violent Soho just happened to also be attending. It truly was a performance for a room full of extended friends.
Anniemae Goldring 