Live Review: Thee Oh Sees, Per Purpose & Go Violets

The Zoo is generally kind of shitty for opening bands; the stage is high, as are the ceilings, and any time it's less than half full it looks empty. Regardless, Go Violets are determined to have a good time, and opening with the insatiably poppy Runner is a great way to do it. The band obviously know how to write a catchy hook, and when they put their impressive and dynamic vocals on top of that (singers Alice Rezende and Phoebe Imhoff go from sweet to snarky to commanding effortlessly, until halfway through the set when Rezende unfortunately starts to lose her voice) these songs are a force of nature. Their cover of Girls' Lust For Life sounds like it could have been written by them, and there aren't many better compliments than that.

After Go Violets, Per Purpose's swampy, earnest, hip-thrusting rock seems almost comical, but they soon win out with brute will. Their sound has a bit of The Drones and Nick Cave and probably a myriad of other more obscure modern Australian rock'n'roll bands that we all should have heard of, but it's probably better to forget all of that and commit to the snarling, hedonistic performance that singer Glen Schenau is treating us all to. In the end it's strangely cool and convincing, if still a bit funny.

Thee Oh Sees start right on time, John Dwyer promising that they're gonna play as many songs as they can in their short time with us. He is not joking; the band rip into these alien garage tracks like the end is truly nigh, the pure force and speed of their sound immediately electrifying and incredibly exciting. The crowd dance and jump around like they might keep going until their legs turn to pulp and jelly, and then flop on the floor ecstatically to the beat. Dwyer's guitar is as perfectly spazzed out and frantic as you want it to be, and there are definitely less of their records' experimental or psychedelic elements showcased here, which just leaves pure energy and power. Mike Shoun's drumming, which is not flamboyant but ridiculously tight and skilful, is especially impressive and a driving component of the set. Hang A Picture and Lupine Dominus – from the band's latest album Putrifiers II – are two highlights, but it's hard to pick out any part of this show that particularly stands out; it's so killer from start to finish. Show of the year? It's only February… but yeah, probably.