Live Review: Major Leagues, DARTS, Chelsea Bleach

In The Workers Club's packed band room, Melbourne four-piece Chelsea Bleach present heavy rhythm guitar sounds under soft vocals. They mention that it's their first show in a long while and that this also will be their last show in a long while. Chelsea Bleach play sharp, angular rock. Their second song Public Safety utilises lead guitar with a drilling quality (in a great way). All the band members really get into it and they're very tight.

About a dozen people in the audience rudely talk really loudly, but we don't care. We just want more of Chelsea Bleach's droney punk. We can feel the bass vibrating through our ribs. For their final song Eat Your Heart Out, the lead guitarist puts her foot up on the drum kit, the band play hard and we love it.

Next up is Darts. Their opening song Andrew is short and intense. Their songs feel like getting stung by a bull ant, and are chock full of angsty vocals and angry guitar. The drummer looks like he's having a rad time. Angus Ayres declares the band's love for us: "Love yas. This one doesn't have a name." After a false start, the strong, jumpy song plays. Their set reminds this scribe of the energy of mid-2000s band I Heart Hiroshima. With yelly, echoey vocals, Darts' songs bounce around the now-attentive audience.

Finally it's time for Major Leagues. Hailing from the city that has created The Go-Betweens, these Brisbane locals launch their Good Love album tonight. All four members play with downcast eyes and their opening song is Bunbury. Anna Davidson rasps into a microphone, "I have a sore throat, can someone get me a whisky?"

They play beachy songs, taking us into a rock dream. Even the stage lights seem to get into Major Leagues. Bassist Vlada Edirippulige, who also sings tonight, tells a short story about buying a trolley from Bunnings to help the band out while ferrying their gear around at airports: "We probably wouldn't do that again, but we had a good time." Straight into the next song with no segue, Major Leagues play with fun, poppy hooks.

After some jokes and fun onstage banter, all Major Leagues members dance around while playing. It's easy to tell they've been playing and touring together for five years. Their final song Feel is a rocky number.