Live Review: The Beards, Franky Walnut

There’s been something of a hole in the Australian music industry since the demise of Machine Gun Fellatio and the disappearance of TISM. Dress up bands and their slightly mad audiences got a return to form tonight with The Beards and Franky Walnut, never shy of a novelty tune with a catchy hook.

Besides the tunes, there has to be kudos paid to the musicianship – keytar to sax to melodica as well as pop/rock/country and hair. Nicely done, indeed.

Support Walnut was, simply, bloody gorgeous- something of a less creepy John Williamson and a more classy Kevin Bloody Wilson. Also, he can actually play. Keep your ears out for more.

Now four albums in The Beards took the stage promptly not soon after, the crowd loudly chanting and thrusting their facial hair (real and appropriated) up in the air. The next 80 minutes were a series of ‘another song about beards’, and while the novelty could have worn a bit thin, the wave of energy on and off stage kept the wave going. This writer was perhaps a little too sober and a little too clean of chin to really appreciate the complete experience, but those already in the know and with pre-prepared hirsuteness were well served indeed.

Of course classics like If Your Dad Doesn’t Have A Beard, You’ve Got Two Mums and You Should Consider Having Sex With A Bearded Man took pride of place, but newbies like I Like Beards and All The Bearded Ladies and A Bit of My Beard also got the crowd by the short and curlies (as it were). 

With a bucks party and a few overexcited crowd members in there was a bit of undignified participation (including a failed stage dive by a would-be band member), but also props to Sean, the crowd member who took "The Beard Pledge” mid-set.

Besides the tunes, there has to be kudos paid to the musicianship – keytar to sax to melodica as well as pop/rock/country and hair. Nicely done, indeed.