Warming the stage was local duo Udays Tiger who are a ‘coupla blokes’ that play grunge infused punk with a venomous fury. Live their music is like an untamed beast, gnashing its teeth with an unruly passion and ripping the bandroom to shreds with the sheer ferocity of its approach. Devin De Araujo and Nathan Morris are the real thing. Their sound is unaffected and unpretentious – just no nonsense, ball breaking rock that will leave you in a sweaty, quivering heap on the floor.
They understand dynamics and build the tension with brooding riffs that explode in a mess of thunderous rhythms and frenetic guitar fuzz. The strobe was buzzing into overdrive as they powered through a short, sharp set that unleashed a manic energy which was thrilling to partake in. Udays Tiger let the music do the talking. Go see them play. You won’t regret it.
It’s been a long time since Perth rockers Sugar Army have toured the nation and plenty of punters flooded the bandroom to witness what the lads are up to in 2012. I’ve always enjoyed Sugar Army’s sound and am sad to report that their live show has barely evolved since I last saw them play in 2009. If you like a band who are polished and perform exactly as they sound on record then you will probably enjoy Sugar Army live.
They were very tight and had plenty of rock star posturing going down on stage but there was no spontaneity and no exchange of energy. When I see a band play I want to see them get out of their comfort zone and push the boundaries of their sound. I want to see them experiment, relinquish control and get lost in the moment and Sugar Army do not do this.
The band swaggered around the stage and played polite versions of their more popular singles that barely deviated from the recordings, with a few new tunes thrown into the mix. In short – it bored me shitless. However the audience were lapping it up and revelling at having their heroes back in town with the biggest crowd responses coming from their new single “Hooks For Hands” and the good old favourite “Tongues In Cheeks”.
Sugar Army pleased their fans with a solid set that was thoroughly enjoyed by the less pretentious punters than myself who were in attendance.
