Live Review: Bodyjar, Samiam, Blueline Medic, Clowns

The venue is close to empty and Clowns could give less of a fuck; they are incessant from the outset, delivering breakneck hardcore-leaning punk.

Bassist James Ahern wields his four-string sword with absolute mastery, but it’s hard to take your eyes off Stevie Williams on the mic. Getting sick of onstage scissor kicks, he launches himself onto the main floor, screaming and writhing about before clambering on top of the handicap toilet roof. Perched like a gargoyle metres above us, he admits “I didn’t think this one through” before managing to get down unscathed.

"Tonight a massive treat for longstanding fans with the boys working through their cracking 1996 record Rimshot!"

As expected, it’s a totally different vibe as soon as Blueline Medic take their places, anticipation tangible with the practically on hiatus Melbourne band visiting Brisbane for the first time in years. They make quick work of most of the jaunty numbers off 2001’s The Apology Wars – Over The Lawn, Cathedral, Not Interested – before successfully slowing it down with At Least We Had The War, the track letting Donnie Dureau’s unique vocal shine. Snappy unreleased cut Rosie Voss then makes way for a massive cover of Tori Amos’ incredible song Precious Things, before the quartet seal the brilliance with their crossover classic, Making The Nouveau Riche.

The night of punk nostalgia blazes on with Californian emo innovators Samiam, though they have to struggle through a shitty mix early. Three songs in, however, and they sound like a new band, tracks like She Found You, Mud Hill and Factory absolutely ruling. They’ve got a new drummer on this tour but you wouldn’t guess it – the guy is bullish with his playing style and drives the entire experience forwards. Jason Beebout, meanwhile, is having a great time in the middle, excitedly informing us that he “waxed [his] clacker just for the occasion”. It’s the guitar interplay of Sergie Loobkoff and Sean Kennerly which is king though, with songs like El Dorado sending the barrier dwellers into raptures.

And then Bodyjar bring it all home with their evergreen brand of Aussie skate-punk, tonight a massive treat for longstanding fans with the boys working through their cracking 1996 record Rimshot!. There is barely a still moment for the next half hour with the band playing at breakneck speed, frontman Cam Baines admitting to us that getting the album ready has left the quartet with “sore [hands] and a bad case of chaff”. The pit really comes alive, however, when they use the last half of the set to field requests, playing a veritable best-of including A Hazy Shade Of Winter, Remote Controller, You Say and Not The Same, before giving us one last shout-along in the form of One In A Million.