Live Review: (Hed)p.e., Snot, Recoil VOR, Horrorwood Mannequins

Though the turnout was small to begin, local shock rockers Horrorwood Mannequins opened the night as if the room was packed wall to wall. Ghoulish makeup, bass-driven riffs and gravelly vocals got the night off to a start.

The crowd didn't know what to make of Recoil VOR. Their groove-tinged hardcore style had a few of the younger crowd members nodding their heads in appreciation, and although frontman Wade McKay tried his best to get the crowd keen, most were content just to watch. 

Australia has waited almost two decades to see Cali funk punkers Snot bring the party and they did not disappoint. Kickin' it off with Stoopid had the crowd ballistic from the get-go. Mikey Doling and co on stage were a whirlwind of guitars and dreads, utilising every inch of the stage. Unfortunately the sound was inconsistent and muddy for parts of the set, not that the diehard fans cared, as the crowd went nuts for Get Some. As the band closed out their first, and hopefully not last, Sydney set with Metallica cover Hit The Lights and favourite Absent, the crowd erupted, frontman Carl Bensley by then a mess of dreadlocks and energy.

Nu-metal ain't dead; it's just been cruising Venice Beach, smoking some ganja. Hip hop veterans (Hed)p.e. brought the funk to the stage. Clad in a Guy Fawkes mask, main man Jared Gomes aka M.C.U.D. got the floor sweaty and heaving, opening with No Turning Back. Backed by a fresh new band, guitarist Greg 'Gregzilla' Harrison was a hurricane of hair and sleazy licks. The double-whammy of Whitehouse and Blackout with a bit of Buffalo Soldier thrown in for love kept the good vibes pumping.
Kurt Blankenship on bass with the smoothest fingers around took funk to another level. Let's Ride, Bartender and Renegade caused a huge ruckus, fans of old and new singing along. Closing out with Peer Pressure, Gomes and co promised it wouldn't take another five years to return.