Live Review: The Datsuns, Front End Loader, Los Hombres Del Diablo

Los Hombres Del Diablo opened up what promised to be an evening of loud pile-driving rock’n’roll. They certainly delivered on the rock front with the Amazonian Michelle Madden stalking the stage with charisma and gloriously over-the-top attitude. With a tight stoner rock sound the band built up a brutal metallic backdrop to Madden’s banshee howls.

Front End Loader have been treading the boards for nigh on 13 years now and they still sound as fresh as ever. A minor amp issue delayed the start of their set but it gave them and the audience the chance to throw around a few jokes with mixed results. Once they kicked into gear their set felt like one long breaking wave of post-punk, post-hardcore and melodic punk, often in the same song. Each member seemed to splinter off into their own unique style yet the sound of the band coalesced into one beautiful and unique collision.

The Datsuns’ profile has seemingly shrunk over the course of their career, in Sydney at least going on the small Factory Floor venue on a Sunday night. Only small pockets of the crowd seemed willing to physically give themselves over to the blistering MC5-styled classic rock display from the New Zealanders but regardless the band played with intent, humour and absolute precision. Their hour-long set spanned all their albums, from the early nuggets like Freeze Sucker, MF From Hell and Sittin’ Pretty right through to songs from the new album, including highlights That’s What You Get and the single, Bad Taste.

With twin guitars sharing lead and solo duties Dolf de Borst proved the consummate frontman, simultaneously pulling off tumbling bass runs amid his screams and yelps. Their set was built on energy and physical motion, all the while delivering a virtuosic display of tight, synchronistic playing. The audience had noticeably thinned by the end of the night but The Datsuns finished as thrillingly as they’d begun, making basic rock’n’roll sound exciting all over again.