Live Review: Kyuss Lives, Orange Goblin & Red Fang

Twenty years ago, Kyuss got booed in Melbourne when they came here as a support act for Metallica. My, how the tables have turned… Tonight sees a sold-out Palace (mandatory black jeans, long hair and tattoos) welcome Kyuss Lives! with devil-saluting open arms. Openers, Red Fang give us a sweet taster of their Portland 'desert' scene, while Orange Goblin summon Satan himself with their vicious performance.

Kyuss Lives! start with classics such as One Inch Man and Gardenia and slowly move through other favourites from their four albums. Supa Scoopa And Mighty Scoop tears the fucking roof off, and a quick look up into the crowd during Freedom Run sees complete adoration, despite the setlist starting to replicate 2011's show at the same venue. It's a bummer that, maybe because of Scott Reeder/Josh Homme's legal pursuit, other definitive tracks such as Writhe, Black Widow and Demon Cleaner aren't played. Singer John Garcia mentions something about this, but the crowd just egg him to play on.

Garcia's vocals are as brutally brilliant as ever and Brant Bjork's drumming is tight as fuck, but both look pissed off – strange, especially for Bjork, as he's normally Lord Smiley. Nick Oliveri isn't there (he's on probation, but was rumoured to be touring) and is replaced by Mike Dean. Bruno Fevery is a damn good guitarist and can play Kyuss well, but there is something lacking. Maybe they just want to move onto Vista Chino (Garcia, Bjork, Oliveri and Fevery's new project), which sounds fucking amazing by the way. Dargona (a Vista track) before their encore set is really well received, but we all want more Kyuss.

Whitewater, Allen's Wrench, Spaceship Landing and Odyssey provide an epic and fearsome finish. However, they could've just played Muchas Gracias through the PA and the crowd would've loved it just as much. It's also great to see Garcia not thank a corporation for supporting them, like he did in 2011. Bring on Vista Chino. And a generator party. And get Ten East to tour again.