Live Review: The 5.6.7.8’s, Kill City Creeps, The Gooch Palms

Gooch Palms are a two-piece outfit with a fair amount of spunk and a whole lot of attitude. They were clearly having a good time of it too. Frontman Leroy MacQueen, looking like a crazy freak in his tiny shorts, together with his partner in crime Kat Friend, put on a killer live show that had the crowd bopping along to their infectious “shit pop”, as they describe their sound. MacQueen's high kicks provided the highlight and a little too much information for those brave enough to be front of stage. They were entertaining nonetheless and it is refreshing to be in the presence of a band that are simply out to put the fun back into rock'n'roll.

When Kill City Creeps took to the stage, however, the vibe was slightly different. While still in the vein of garage punk, the Creeps have a more refined pop sensibility, led by frontman and guitarist Daniel Darling, who somehow manages to invoke rock-god confidence and an awkward humble charm simultaneously. Their sound is reminiscent of late '60s pop with an '80s synth edge, but underneath it all there is some solid songwriting going on. The tunes are damn catchy and their sound is accessible without being too predictable. Definitely a band worth catching if you are in the vicinity.

Unfortunately, something happened to the sound when The 5.6.7.8's took their places on the Factory Floor. While the instruments sounded warm and full, the vocals by contrast sounded tiny and far away. Neither The Gooch Palms nor Kill City Creeps seemed to suffer from this affliction, however, and, while jarring, once this little annoyance was put to one side, this reviewer was free to enjoy the music. The 5.6.7.8's manage to get the surf sound spot on and the audience seemed to be getting into the fun vibe once the trio warmed up, which seemed to take a good 20 minutes or so. The latter half of their performance was far better, however, and they finished their set on a high note with their best known song, Woo Hoo, getting most of the room up and dancing.