Perth six-piece Boys Boys Boys! were an odd choice of support for one of the best rock bands of the ’90s; they stood out like a sore thumb with their childish lyrics, poorly choreographed dance moves, and horrendously cliched riffs. Lead by three female vocalists, the band muddled their way through a very average set, with the typically bad sound at the Hi Fi not helping their cause. I give props to Boys Boys Boys! for their onstage energy and the obvious enthusiasm they have for their sound – the conceptual idea behind the band is a noteworthy one, but their lollipop-vocal delivery (reminiscent of Aqua) combined with the matching sequined outfits, primary school eisteddfod style dancing, off-key vocals, and the generic nature of their music left a lot to be desired.
Moving right along to NZ native Luke Rowell, who performs under the moniker Disasteradio. His set was an interesting one, as the man jumped around the stage mixing his electronic jams amidst a display of flailing limbs which was hilarious to witness. Rowell mentioned that his last Melbourne show was the 2am late slot at the infamous Pony, and his general aesthetic is far more suited to that environment than it is to a relatively sober 10pm atmosphere at the Hi Fi. The pounding bass had a few members of the crowd up and moving, and his ‘gaming nerd’ look seemed to endear him to the audience, who were cheering loudly as he grooved around the stage. His music is not to my personal taste, but live, Disasteradio was pleasantly entertaining, with the majority of punters enjoying the show.
Regurgitator are a band who need no introduction, and the atmosphere was electric as the house lights went down, the video feed onstage kicked in, and Quan, Ben and Peter walked onstage in matching skeleton jumpsuits, and launched straight into “I Will Lick Your Arsehole”. Regurgitator play with a manic passion that puts the majority of young bands to shame, and the ever-innovative three piece really stepped it up a notch, with a tight set that was enhanced by the visual projections at the back of the stage, and saw Peter using his mobile phone as an instrument. The chemistry between Quan and Ben is fantastic to watch, as they feed off each other’s humourous antics, and amped up the crowd to near riotous behaviours with their ridiculously energetic delivery.
Highlights of the set included ripper renditions of “Everyday Formula”, “Fat Cop”, “F.S.O”, “Polyester Girl”, “All Fake Everything”, “I Sucked A Lot Of Cock To Get Where I Am”, and my personal favourite “Kong Foo Sing”, a track that still sounds as fresh and venomous as it did when it was originally released 15 years ago.
Regurgitator are a phenomenal live act who slaughtered the Hi Fi with a kick arse show. Their music never grows old. Long live the Gurge.
