Live Review: Drunk Mums, Aborted Tortoise, THe New Invincibles

First to take the stage for this night of filthy punk-influenced garage-rock were The New Invincibles.

The band made ripe use of their pumping, almost metronomic bass. On top of this, chaotic guitar solos reigned and bluesy vocals cut through the air. These are the kinds of guys who are great at their instruments simply because they look good in a suit; there’s no practice necessary if that’s the qualification you hold, although the band was undoubtedly well practiced anyway.

All this groove and fuzz was perforated by the sound of frantic organ playing. The band carries some of the ferocity of early Stooges work, except with more Hammond organ.

Aborted Tortoise are the current punk workhorses of the Perth scene.

These kids work hard playing shows regularly and all this practice definitely shines through. The band played a mix of faster punk tunes and some slower groove-oriented surf-rock while the vocalist wailed over the top of it all. The minds of the performers existed in another dimension for the duration of the set and the crowd simply existed as voyeurs to the apathetic transcendence. They looked uncaring but were clearly focused. Their nice meld of influences and styles makes for an ever-interesting set.

Finally it was Melburnian headliners Drunk Mums’ turn to storm the stage.

They started slow with their first song drawing the crowd in before kicking into sixth gear for the rest of their set. The bassist seemed to be the energetic centre, with his instrument tight up to his chest, making angry and jerky movements around stage. Further attesting to their partying nature, another semi-member of the band took to the stage (dressed in a sheet and playing a tambourine) and spent the set flailing around and climbing on the lighting. Towards the end of the set the band’s bassist set down his instrument mid-song and began screaming incomprehensibly into the mic like a death metal Cartman. After that he took off his belt and began beating the band’s tambourine player with it.

They definitely aren’t the most polished band but anyone who likes their rock music with a bit of danger and bravado with a dash of entertaining stage antics will thoroughly enjoy any show they put on.