The Living End, Thursday September 8 2011, The Palace
In a 2006 interview, The Living End’s Chris Cheney declared: “Please quote me on this. I am not playingPrisoner Of Society when I’m 32, 33 years old.” Fortunately for the sold-out crowd at The Palace on Thursday and Friday nights, Cheney is not a man of his word.
Voted number four in triple j’s Hottest 100 Australian Albums Of All Time, The Living End’s self titled debut became the soundtrack for youthful rebellion in the late ‘90s. The challenge that Cheney faces, along with band mates Scott Owen and Andy Strachan, is showcasing the group’s musical growth over the past decade and a half, whilst indulging their fans’ nostalgia. Especially since it was clear from Thursday night’s gig, that’s what the fans were there for.
The atmosphere is surprisingly subdued until Cheney asks the mostly thirty-something male crowd “How about an old one?” He launches into Second Solution and The Palace dance floor becomes a mosh pit of writhing bodies. Roll On needs no introduction- the first few chords alone are enough to have the entire venue chanting the chorus in eager anticipation until interrupted by a segue way into The Choirboy’s Run To Paradise.
You know you’re in good hands with The Living End. From the seamless lighting to their onstage antics (Owen plays his double bass whilst standing on it at one point) their professionalism is faultless. The trio is also incredibly efficient: short breaks and minimal banter between songs allows for nearly twenty songs over the course of their set.
It is during the slower tracks, in particular Nothing Lasts Forever that The Living End really shines. Cheney begins the track solo, the momentum growing as Owen and Stachan join in until it’s a truly poignant moment in the show. Pockets of fans dutifully wave their phones and lighters along, taking the chance to catch a breather. But then All Torn Down begins and it’s back to business.
Final tracks Who’s Gonna Save Us? and Prisoner Of Society have the audience in a fist pumping frenzy and latest single The Ending Is Just the Beginning Repeating is warmly received…for a new track. The battle between the old and new The Living End is never more evident than half way through the show when Cheney tells the audience that his skolling days are over, eliciting boos from all three levels of the venue. “I’m as disappointed as you,” he concedes. The front man has surrendered by the time he returns for the encore however, downing a beer in seconds and making it apparent he’ll do what it takes to delight this audience.
Finishing, as The Living End often do, with suburban anthem West End Riot, the audience is left satisfied. The only question is whether the band feel the same way.
Loved: Realising I still know every word to Prisoner Of Society.
Hated: Remembering that the last time I sang it was at my grade six social.
Drank: Sensibly. I might not be in grade 6 anymore but it was still a school night.
The Beards, Friday 26th August 2011, Northcote Social Club
Between the creepy bearded lady at the carnival and the fact that it’s the accessory of choice for the homeless, it’s no wonder beards have developed a bad reputation. Fortunately, four brave men are standing up for the black sheep of the facial hair family. Those men are Adelaide quartet The Beards.
‘Melbourne. Are you in the mood…for beards?’ lead singer Johann Beardraven asks a sold out Northcote Social Club. The roaring response and impressive display of facial hair (some real, some not so real) from the crowd indicates that they are.
The Beards set the tone early, bringing a clean-shaven attendee on stage to demonstrate ‘what not to do’ as the audience jeers and boos the unsuspecting punter. Bass player Nathaniel Beard explains that the goal of their 100 Beards tour is to convince 100 new people to grow facial hair and I’m already starting to think that bearded lady may have been on to something.
The foursome’s folk-rock style provides the perfect backdrop to their clever lyrics, with early tracks In The Mood For Beards and You’ve Got To Have A Beard To Call Yourself A Man providing plenty of laughs. But the show starts to feel more like a rally when the Beards pull out favourites No Beard, No Good and If Your Dad Doesn’t Have A Beard Then You Have Two Mums. It’s around this time that you start to believe that shaving may in fact be one of the most heinous crimes of our time.
Beardraven is Jack Black with an agenda, clearly relishing his role as the frontman weighed down by unwanted sexual advances and hippie generalisations. He is the recipient of some serious man love when he launches himself into an adoring audience who take the chance to gleefully stroke his beard.
Fans get taste of the Beards new rockier material with final tracks including You Should Consider Having Sex With A Bearded Man which has a distinctly Van Halen vibe. But beyond the beard shtick, it is clear that these guys are genuinely talented as they take to the stage for their encore. Beginning with a sax solo and ending with an impressive show of Johann’s falsetto, most of us forget that we’ve been singing along to songs about whiskers for the past hour.
Whilst the Beards admit that the facial fuzz they advocate has typically been the domain of wizards, rabbis and garden gnomes, they want every man to grow one and every woman to worship one. The pash rash I’m currently sporting is proof they are very convincing.
LOVED: Watching groups of bearded men high fiving and embracing between songs.
HATED: Myself for laughing when I should have been offended by manthem Why Having A Beard Is Better Than Having A Woman.
DRANK: With difficulty, after accepting the guy next to me’s offer to wear a beard on a string.
allthesethingsthativewritten 