Live Review: Clowns, The Lost Cause, Bitter Lungs, Feeling Dave, Albion Gold

Gosh, The Del eh? Tucked alongside GC's “central business district”, if one can call it that, and a stone throw from the notorious Southport Workers' Club – it seems pretty apt for ye old Del to start chucking on a few hardcore nights. And as a venue it works; dingy, smelly and the deal-makers of a heavy sesh night – the sticky carpet and vagrants that just seem to float in off the street. Check and check.

First up are Gold Coast ladies and gents Albion Gold who echo all things brutal and fun from a scene that is still quietly throbbing away in the underground of these parts. It's short, fast, detuned, and spat with such venom from frontwoman Amy that's it's impossible to do anything but divert full attention to this highly engaging four-piece. Tracks Autoimmune and Bored And Braindead off Symmetrical Cemeteries get a good hurrah from the riff raff.

Byron trippers Feeling Dave are next up and the tropical surf punks float their way through a handful of tracks off EP In Strange Places. It's typical, messy, upbeat stuff with barely-there bass from a nervous stand in, but the main thing coming across from these three dudes is the energy; it's like what Bleeding Knees Club could be capable of if they'd stop writing tickets all over themselves. Take note, kiddies. Having only formed early this year, it's pretty likeable stuff on that point alone.

Fellow GC thrashcore rockers Bitter Lungs have had a hectic year touring alongside a swag of big-name hardcore acts, and based on 2012's stellar EP What Doesn't Kill You Only Makes You Bitter and a few single releases this year, this busy foursome show all signs of going the distance. They're the first tonight to get the tit for tat banter going with a bit of circle work following in full swing soon after. Frontman Toby belts the crap out his lungs with that wail, pinning furious numbers Henhcmen and You Can Lead A Horse To Water But You Can't Make Him Think down with aplomb over Mick and Carl's tight lines. There's more melodic substance to lap up here in between the thrashing and it makes them a standout tonight.

This whole mid-section of this GC heavy gold is bookended by local legends The Lost Cause. These four lads are also seeing out a busy year of shows and track releases and there's much bro love for them here tonight. Kerry O'Connor plunges the four-piece into a set that is fist-in-the-face punchy and tight with old-school tracks like Dead and I Hate. Since 2008 these guys have been setting venues alight (not literally) with a prime catalogue of heavy hitters, making them undeniable stalwarts of the local scene just ripe for the picking should industry come knocking.

One band that hasn't ignored the call are Melbourne's Clowns. They're slight chaps but You've Got The Curse from debut I'm Not Right throws the room into a whole new world of messy shenanigans as engaging frontman Stevie Williams throws himself and his mop of hair around with the punters. Shit goes flying through the air, people get swung around from shoulders and hit the deck – and the perfect soundtrack of Repeat After Me backs up the scene. These dudes are young and tight as, and less chatty then their predecessors. It's a sign of their assurance and it's all there to be lapped up. Powders and Grave Junkie round out what has been a kickarse night of hardcore, proving the GC crowd can more than hold their own against big city brethren.