Live Review: Violent Soho, Bad//Dreems, The Sinking Teeth

Tonight the Soundlounge plays host to just one of the juicy events of burgeoning arts and culture festival, Bleach*. Bunting is strung from end to end in a nod to the festival's stamp, but it seems highly unlikely it will be still hanging by night's end.

Early punters get in some warm-up thrashing at the feet of Melbourne trio The Sinking Teeth. They kick off with The Sexy Mates, showcasing Nick Manuell's abrasive chops, but a more guttural vocal spews forth in White Water and Temporary Living alongside Ben Stewart's drum wallops and Julian Doan's pummelling bass. Their set packs the early punch needed; it's full of enthusiasm, silly banter, tight lines, bluesy downshifts and sweat.

Adelaide four-piece Bad//Dreems bring their more line-driven punchy surf-rock to a now thoroughly warmed-up crowd and the minute those first jangly guitar notes sound they lap it up. Ben Marwe paces the stage like a madman in Home Life, Tomorrow Mountain and Close2God, all driven by his unhurried rasp. Some of Alex Cameron's higher guitar bits are buried but watching him thrash that thing around his neck more than makes up for it. Highly rotated single, Hoping For's post-Britpop dynamic closes out a top set.

Push turns to shove when Killing In The Name Of rings out and the Violent Soho boys and supports watch the chaos unfold before taking the reins. Neighbour Neighbour gets the crowd surging, prompting some stern security presence. Guitarist James Tidswell diffuses their zeal by getting the “A-OK” from everyone and declaring “they got this” before Love Is A Heavy Word whips them up again. Singer Luke Boerdam's nasal wail remains controlled in In The Aisle, even when the house lights inexplicably come on during Muscle Junkie, revealing crowd-surfing bodies and that bunting all but ripped to shreds. Shoes are the missiles of choice this evening and Boerdam gives thanks but says, “I've got some already,” and lobs them back. They get through Jesus Stole My Girlfriend but the familiar guitar noodles of Covered In Chrome are punctuated by rogue footwear ricocheting off guitar necks. A few attempted starts later delivers the messiest singalong of the night. They take their bow with Tinderbox, but not before Boerdam cops a Van in the face. Oldie, Scrape It brings the half-shirtless, half-drenched foursome back on, allowing bassist Luke Henery to launch himself for a salutary stage dive, once again cementing the band's reputation for sound and spectacle.