Live Review: Cosmic Psychos, Dune Rats

The kids are not alright; they’re a bunch of miscreant little shits, and their ageing counterparts certainly aren’t setting a good example. Wanton revelry was the order of the night and there was no shortage of rambunctious misfits eager to oblige.

Punters made their way in early for Ray Finkle, who kicked off proceedings with a tight set. Singer Jamie Taylor’s wailing vocals (bearing similarities to The Bronx’s Matt Caughthran), coupled with sharp hooks and clever chord progressions began steadily drawing in the masses. Local bogans Emu Xperts followed shortly thereafter with their own brand of disjointed guitars and incomprehensible screaming; of course, it drove the audience wild. Leeches! wasted no time punching the swelling crowd in the face with their single-riff blasts of relentless punk-rock fury, with each song lasting no more than a minute and a half, expertly paving the way for the main acts.

Swirling chants of “fuck you!” politely ushered the vexatious Dune Rats on to the stage, and in promptly smashing out hit Superman, a frenzied mosh pit quickly formed. Drunkenly stumbling through a number consisting solely of the lyrics “Dalai Lama, Big Banana, Marijuana” made it abundantly clear that irony was way over their heads, and front man Danny Beusa was at one point so drunk that he forgot how to play his guitar. A solid backing from drummer BC Michaels and bassist Brett Jansch ensured the band maintained decent form. Rounding out the set with Funny Guy, the Queensland trio left the stage and three quarters of the audience covered in elated beer and sweat.

Rumour ‘round the Rosie had it that only just the night before in Margaret River, Cosmic Psychos show saw several people ejected from the venue after attacking a security guard. They continued their tirade of turpitude in Perth, unabated — juvenile delinquents being replaced with an older, visibly crankier crowd. Fuzz-laden bass drenched the set, with favourite Nice Day To Go To The Pub igniting fans and launching several fists and middle fingers into the air. Further amplifying the pace, guitarist John McKeering’s seamless solos in hits Lead Me Astray and David Lee Roth proved resoundingly that age is just a number and by no means a barrier to a hedonistic thrill ride of booze soaked mayhem and straight-up rock.