Live Review: Hits Beetle Bar

After a massive 22-show slog conquering Europe, Brisbane's much beloved balls-out rockers HITS make their triumphant return at the Beetle Bar. Kicking off affairs early, Dead Wolves bring their shirt-off guitar rock'n'roll to a keen drinkin' crowd. The band doesn't miss a beat, being consistently loud and entertaining throughout, with the backline and frontline seemingly joined at the hip.

Wearing trendy matching uniforms, it feels as if it's wolves dressed in sheep's clothing as Undead Apes take to the stage with an angst-driven, volume-turned-up set. Again, the band are notably tight with all three guitar fretboards being navigated frantically for riffs and with deceptive ease for power chord time and, naturally of course, with a thumping beat leading the charge. The vocals are a tad quiet in the mix, mainly due to the powerful backline, but this is eventually overcome as the set progresses. The Michael Jackson tagline pop of Taxes gets the most notable response from the crowd, but it's the set as a whole that shines through and radiates with the audience.

The bar is hard to navigate as punters are crammed in as Melbourne's Vice Grip Pussies gather themselves to play. The band, featuring an injured crotch-ridden member, go through the motions and deliver tight rock'n'roll after roll, and while entertaining to watch and very technically proficient, it does all slightly feel 'same old same old' on tonight's bill. To sum it up would be to say that the band are like a more punk, share house version of Airbourne, without the budget or AC/DC love affair. While that does sound strange, it's actually quite good.

Chances of getting a drink before HITS are slim, mainly due (if the band had it their way the bar would be empty) to the sheer turnout in the venue crowding the bar to get ready for the boozed-up rock and over roll affair. Instantly attentions are grabbed from the thunderous guitars and the antics of one of Brisbane's most interesting frontman, Evil Dick (whom tonight is sporting a light blue cowboy hat). As the band are launching latest single Take Your Pills on 7” naturally, the track in question is a notable highlight, with the distorted guitars and catchy lyrics being hard to resist. It is also hard to ignore the tried and true Sometimes You Just Don't Know Who Your Friends Are with the drunken crowd lapping up every minute of it.

An all-round great night that shows that some of the best rock is in our own backyard. Brisb-alia rawk!