Live Review: Lagwagon, The Smith Street Band, Army Of Champions

Brisbane's Army Of Champions confidently take to the stage and launch into Shake Out The Moan and Before We're Bones from their recently released debut full-length Animal Vs Man. Their melodic blend of street-punk and straightforward rock wins over a good proportion of the audience and the crowd continues to swell as their set progresses, culminating with To The Fight and Hero In Time.

After months of overseas touring and sharing stages with the likes of Frank Turner, Melbourne's The Smith Street Band have become a well-oiled machine, as evidenced by their album-perfect rendition of the titular track from this year's brilliant Sunshine And Technology album, which opens the set.  Frontman Wil Wagner mightn't look like much of a rockstar, but his stage presence and talent are undeniable, and the rest of the set features highlights from both the band's last two albums, including Postcodes, I Want Friends, What's Changed and Young Drunk, before wrapping up their all-too-brief set with Sigourney Weaver.

As The Muppets' Mahna Mahna blares over the PA, Lagwagon singer Joey Cape sticks his head out from behind the stage curtain to delighted cheers and moments later the curtains open to reveal the rest of the band. Clearly cuffed by the response, Cape bellows an enthusiastic, “Hello Brisbane! Glad you missed us... we're back,” before the band kick off with a lively rendition of Island Of Shame from 1994's Trashed. Violins and Kids Don't Like To Share get an airing next, after which guitarist Chris Flippin tells the crowd he's “feeling pretty good”. When the band last toured in 2009, Frenzal Rhomb guitarist Lindsay McDougall did his best to fill Flippin's very big shoes, but a few songs into tonight's set it's clear that the interplay between the almost-seven-foot founding member and the comparatively diminutive singer is a big component of the band's live performance. After You My Friend, Lazy, Sleep and Mr Coffee all garner a predictably fervent response from the crowd, and the band finish their set proper with a blistering version of May 16. Cape returns to the stage unaccompanied, with acoustic guitar in hand, to play a heartfelt version of No Use For A Name's International You Day, which he dedicates to that band's recently deceased singer Tony Sly, earnestly telling the crowd, “I don't have words to say about how I feel about losing him... it's just nice to hear his music.” Cape then plays a stripped-back version of Alien 8 before the rest of the band return for Making Friends, Brown Eyed Girl and Razor Burn. Even after 20 years, tonight's set proves Lagwagon are still at the top of their game.