Live Review: Graveyard Train, Dux & Downtown - Mojo's Bar

A quiet Sunday was definitely not what Melbourne natives Graveyard Train had in mind when they took to Mojo's stage. Opening the show with a slow, almost sombre beat that sprung into a fast pace – fit with hammer 'n' chain banging and screaming to boot – the band quickly gave the crowd an insight into what they should expect, or not expect, for the remainder of the night. 
Having already been prepped for a country sound by energetic local trio Dux & Downtown, the crowd responded to every wild turn Graveyard Train took them on; dancing and clapping to the upbeat songs, pausing for the quieter ones and even going so far as to shout right back into one of the singer's faces when he departed the stage to hauntingly approach people – pointing and singing with the kind of eye contact that could make a child cry, or in this case, a crowd roar. 
Bit By A Dog was a definite crowd favourite, while She Likes To Eat The Skin provided a nice melodic break when the whole band – drummer included – stood in a row, pulling their set to a standstill. Raw and enjoyable, the pause was a testament to the strength of the band's multiple singers – the experience and acoustics of a chorus of coarse country singers is not one you come by often. In comparison, Graveyard Train's unique sound doesn't do them any justice digitally; something about the choral voices, foot-stamping and borderline maniacal frontman just makes the rockabilly-horror hybrid all the more gripping in person. Tonight, the Melbourne act didn't just offer live music, they delivered a performance.