As the seven members of Little Bastard emerge, squeezed tightly onto the Factory Floor stage, the room fills with friends of the band and fans, eager to enjoy the band’s headlining gig in their hometown. For those who have missed the memo to now, the Sydney band could be described as a disheveled country experience; bringing the flavour of traditional country, with the rambunctiousness of drunken pub rock.
There’s something very distinctively, classically Australian about bands like Little Bastard – with local comparisons being someone like the well-seasoned Snowdroppers – which is what makes this troupe such a refreshing experience. They are simply a rare breed.
They might enjoy drinking beers on stage and keeping things loose, but by no means should this belittle their talent as musicians. The majority of the men on stage switch between instruments and vocal duties; it seems like every member gets their chance to shine, which is far from an easy endeavour when you have as many people on the stage as they do.
The violin and the banjo take our focus, with the majority of the percussion held between a cajon and a tambourine, while their music exists as the closest thing to a ho-down you’ll find this far East – alongside a few slower, ballad-esque numbers thrown in for good measure. But needless to say, they’re a band who get their audience dancing.
Highlights from the set, which was ended prematurely thanks to an evacuation after someone let off the fire extinguisher (thankfully only two songs from the end – but seriously, who does that!?), included a new track called “The Moon”, “Baby on Board” with some slide guitar and the man who we once saw on the tambourine move over to the guitar and lead vocal duties. A song I wrote down as “Get on By” (I’m not sure of its name) whipped the crowd into a frenzy as they sung along to every word and a cover of The Beatles’ “The Night Before” was a solid choice, given a nice touch.
The night ended with “Bodies in the Water” as a fan let off the fire extinguisher and brought the evening to a premature, though somehow appropriate, end. The night had been loose, both on stage and in the crowd, with crowd surfing, moshing and just about everything you might expect from an night as rambunctious as this. It made for an electrifying atmosphere and a night we won’t soon forget – even if quite a lot of the crowd will never remember.
Look out for the band’s debut album, which comes out in May, at which time the group will no doubt embark on a national tour. They’re an experience not to be missed!
