Live Review: Kyuss Lives, Orange Goblin & Red Fang

Red Fang are among several acts that made their first trek to our shores as part of Soundwave who will leave with a greatly enhanced reputation. Much of the sold out crowd showed up early for the US hard-hitters, their stoner-drenched tunes not a million miles from the headliners. A unanimously positive crowd suggested one of the festival's sleeper hits has serious box office potential.

The power of the riff compels thee: that's the modus operandi of stoner metallers Orange Goblin. Ale-guzzling frontman Ben Ward and the Londoners were foaming at the mouth like rabies-riddled dogs over playing their first Sydney club show. Boasting doom-laden riffs weightier than their moniker's rumoured inspiration, wrestling icon Hulk Hogan, Some You Win, Some You Lose and monumental Red Tide Rising made certain their inaugural Australian trip was a revelation. “How fucking good is this?” the vocalist roared. The gathering responded in the affirmative; we were inclined to agree.

The final tour conducted under the Kyuss Lives! banner before morphing into Vista Chino was sadly free of the danger typically injected by bassist Nick Oliveri. Corrosion Of Conformity's Mike Dean ably substituted though and for the majority, any opportunity to hear that bluesy guitar tone and witness vocalist John Garcia and drummer Brant Bjork on-stage is one to clutch with weed residue-covered paws. The stoner rock demigods began a slightly brief showing (75 minutes all up) with One Inch Man and desert jam Gardenia as a familiar smell wafted through the venue. One-two of Thumb and Green Machine incited the loudest singalongs, but the highlight was a riff-tastic El Rodeo, Garcia momentarily breaking free of his cooler-than-a-naked-polar-bear demeanour to crack a smile. A teaser for the upcoming Vista Chino record confused a few, but this was about closing one chapter, before the next begins in earnest.