Live Review: Andrew WK, Aleister X, Bitter Sweet Kicks - Corner Hotel

“Hi, we're Bitter Sweet Kicks. Thanks for rocking up early to party.” The local five-piece then launch into their 45-minute set of balls-out rock'n'roll. There aren't all that many people here at the Corner just yet, but the band throw down a great set of Stones-influenced rock tunes, mixing harmonica and trumpet throughout their set. It's nigh on impossible to comprehend anything that lead singer Jack Davies is singing/screaming, but the dedication cannot be denied. If anything detracts from Bitter Sweet Kicks' sound, it's that the lack of melody and hooks leave a slightly dry taste in one's mouth. The enthusiasm that replaces it is freaking awesome, however, the result being a great start to the evening.

At around 10.30pm, things take a decided turn for better or for worse (surely the jury is out). But for Aleister X, it matters little. Dressed in a boxer's dressing gown and monochrome face paint, the impression that he gives is a strange one, appealing to the anarchist – and artist – in us all. Against a backdrop of recorded beats, Aleister X's 45-minute set grows as it progresses but still divides the room.

Once Aleister X has left the stage, there is a palpable tension in the audience, as crowd members jostle for position for the main event: Andrew WK. When the One-Man-Party takes to the stage in trademark white T-shirt and jeans, the “tonight we party” chant has reached its climax. “This isn't a stage, it's a dancefloor!” WK yells and the punters respond by jumping barriers and disgruntled security guards, dodging photographers who are trying to capture the unbridled chaos unfolding. “This is not a concert, in case you couldn't tell. This is a party!” Dropping songs such as Long Live The Party and We Want Fun, the lead-up to WK's anthem Party Hard is glorious, but when he finishes the set with that song, all hell breaks loose both on and off the stage, crowd surfers and moshers uniting for a final few moments of pure hedonism.

Afterwards, beer-soaked punters flow into the Corner's main bar and onto the street, knowing that they have done one thing very well tonight: Party hard.