Live Review: Guards Of May, Dollarosa, The Hungry Mile, Magnets

The New Globe Theatre is looking resplendent with the old sloping floor replaced by two-tier viewing and a packed house keen to see an evening of good, solid rock. Playing their first ever live show, Brisbane five-piece Magnets are an intriguing prospect as they combine '90s rock charm with shiny electronic soundscapes, throwing in some traditional piano sounds for good measure. Though the mix on early songs is unfavourable, frontman Scott Gellatly's gravelly tone, reminiscent of Scott Weiland, brings a prowling energy to the performance as closer Mossman builds to a spine-tingling climax. 

While The Hungry Mile struggle to maintain a crowd more interested in sinking piss in the foyer, the grungey Sydney lads handle it extraordinarily well by playing as though the room is full. Busting out two brutal back-to-back intro tracks, they settle into the Rise Against groove of Awake and keep it up until Lullaby signals a well placed change of pace. Touting new EP Oceans, which doesn't do justice to the intensity of their live sound, they've turned in a great set against the odds.

Dollarosa frontman Lachlan Dann looks every bit the pro as he competes with a mistimed smoke machine and two drunk mates who try their hardest to distract proceedings with an impassioned display of fist punching and air-guitaring. Taking it in his stride, he poses to placate said phone wielding mates before carrying on with an impressive display of vocal theatrics, hitting every high note beautifully as his band dish out some punishing post-punk. Guitarist Rhys Brown complements Dann with a notable ability to fill in the backing vocal gaps over the top of some intricate guitar melodies. 

On tour to support new single Arcadia, a huge dynamic shifter that switches between fat riffs, soaring guitars and gentle falsetto moments, Guards Of May make no bones about their affinity with fellow Brisbane rockers Dead Letter Circus. It's most notable in Numbers, a track that bears so much familiarity to the former's rhythm and tone it's almost inexcusable, though the five-piece, ably led by fold-back straddling frontman Richie Harvey, who possesses a frightenly deadpan stare, keep up a largely high-energy performance throughout.