Live Review: Regurgitator, Jeremy Neale, Seims

Ever wondered what math-rock sounds like? I had, but having seen Seims I am still none the wiser. "I hope you all have earplugs," declares lead singer, bassist and keyboardist Simeon Bartholomew. This scribe did not.

The sound produced by this band is hectic, but there is excellent composition, wandering rhythms and a whole lot of noise. Trumpet, synth and guitar combine to create a well-constructed wall of sound. Bartholomew jokes, "If you know the words, sing along". There are no words.

The voice of Jeremy Neale settles us back into a more relaxed mood. With Neale's trademark cap, smirk and gait we are launched into his unique mix of retro-esque pop/rock.

There's so much to like about Neale's live show. With a four-piece band behind him, he interacts with the audience and swaggers around the stage. We got some Swing Left, a great cover of Australian Crawl's Errol, some promo for his film T-Rax and some sage advice: "Sometimes you don't make it, but never stop trying." In Stranger Times wrapped a gorgeous set.

It's been close to eight years since Regurgitator graced Metro Theatre's stage and we've missed them. A rammed crowd with a mix of young and old still openly love this trio. Yeah, they've played these songs many times before, but they always deliver.

No filler, all killer as we pogoed to classics including Black Bugs, Polyester Girl and Blubber Boy. Fat Cop was a crowd fave as Ben Ely declared, "Everyone wants to hear a white man rap," but it's when Quan Yeomans drops the guitar and grabs the mic with both hands that Regurgitator come into their own. He can belt out a fierce scream like no other on tracks like I Will Lick Your Arsehole and the rarely performed 7'10".

Yeomans declared they're a cliche as they drop the inevitable and ultimate Prince tribute song, ! (The Song Formally Known As), leaving a hot, sweaty, happy audience to count the days down 'til Regurgitator's return.