polaroids of androids

Spider Vomit + Psychonanny and the Babyshakers + Circle Pit + Dead Farmers @ Spectrum - 01/08/2008

Nine times out of ten someone asks 'oh my I think I just got pillaged in the guts by a wave of dirty dirty dirty rock', the answer comes back as SPIDER VOMIT!

Yes, I realise that isn't even a statement that requires an answer, let alone an answer in FULL CAPS, but that is just the way that The Spiders (or The Vomits) do what they do. They don't colour in-between the lines, in fact some would even say they roll up the picture they are supposed to colour in and 'do lines'. Hey, I am not saying they are smackheads, I am just saying they cook up rock and roll in the same way that Carl Williams once cooked up Special K - awesomely.

The night was kicked off by Sydney's tastiest cocktail of niceness, fuck off punk rock attitude and fresh-faced enthusiasm - Dead Farmers.

As everyone knows, Dead Farmers currently rank amongst the BEST BAND'S ON THE PLANET...

1. Battles
2. Battles
3. Battles
4. Radiohead
5. The Ripping Dylans
6. Wu-Tang Clan
7. Dead Farmers
8. Girl Talk
9. British India

... and, although this is obviously the kind of pressure that could crush a weaker band, Dead Farmers once again rose to the high expectations (of me) and knocked out another highly gush-worthy performance.

The smallish early bird crowd was informed by the group as they took to the stage that they were not going to do a 'normal' set as the lead singer (Dangerlovin' Dave) was suffering from 'end of winter death' and/or Hep A to C.

Their set was shortened to just 15 or so minutes - with the band playing stretched out semi-improv jams and modified versions of their songs. It worked out really well, though, and they proved once and for all that they are deserving of all the ARIA's they have had the pleasure of winning over the past three or four years.

There is a thin line between Circle Pit being wasted and awesome and Circle Pit being wasted and hard to follow, impossible to understand and mildly dead. Unfortunately, at this show they were the latter and, although they looked rad-as-fuck-as-per-usual, they failed to bring da rock-us as I have seen them do so effortlessly on previous occasions.

I missed the first half of the Psychonanny and the Babyshakers' set due to a bad case of kebabitis. The half that I saw was entertaining, but this band just don't DO it for me. In fact they don't even do half of it for me. Most of the time when I want it DONE they are off at the pub trying to fuck that girl who tells everyone she is 19, but I am sure is more likely 24.

Their catchy songs, although not really my cup of tea, really kicked the night into gear, getting the crowd pumped and glazed for the main event.

And when the main event came, it came harder than a year of abstinence.

The dual male/female lead singers of Spider Vomit not only please the crowd in equal amounts sexually, but also give their performance a great energy as the two bounce around the stage, spurring each other on like a ruffian encouraging his younger brother to pack up his first cone, smack a bitch and/or shoot a police officer in the spleen.

In a live setting, the group give off a great drunk party vibe. It's impossible to not get completely suckered into their performance and the endless action that seems to be unfolding on all corners of the stage perfectly compliments the often chaotic and manic style of the music.

With the exception of not being unable to find room in their set for the crowd favourite Problems, the band dished up an almost flawless forty minutes of entertainment.

BIG thanks to Andrew for the photos. Incidentally, he has just started up his own photo blog. Bookmark the shit outta that pronto - it's gonna be the ballz.