Live Review: Models, Huxton Creepers

Huxton Creepers singer Rob Craw remarks that The Croc is "a lot more genteel these days" while wearing his own band T-shirt (for which he deems himself "a schmuck" before we have a chance to). Lyrics, "I'm not the man I used to be," must ring true for this heritage band these days. Their My Cherie Amour song is heaps like My Girl by The Hoodoo Gurus. When Craw announces they need to sit down for a bit some dude up front yells out, "Watch out for the haemorrhoids!" Archie Law's son takes to the stage to play guest guitar on a cover of a song by The Flamin' Groovies and these dudes are definitely worth checking out.

This is (hilariously) Models' "world tour of Australia". Sean Kelly introduces a song from the band's Local &/Or General album and says they released it in 1961 before correcting, "I mean, '81". Unhappy flows into Happy Birthday IBM, which is a jolly little ditty celebrating the American multinational technology and consulting corporation. Andrew Duffield always did enjoy sporting sunglasses as headbands, but nowadays spectacles replace sunnies. He has an unusual, somewhat irate singing style not unlike Cookie Monster (see: That Guy). Duffield's Moog T-shirt is also a nice touch. Kelly then informs us we're going even further back, to 1942 (LOL), Models present Two Cabs To The Toucan and Ashley Davies' drumming is crisp and lively.

After telling us there is an impressive array of drinks and snacks in the band room that they need to go and tuck into, Models take a break. This gives us a chance to exchange notes with fans about our levels of dedication to this band when we were teens. One girl shares that, after writing down Kelly's number plate, she somehow managed to track down his address after reporting an incident to the cops claiming he knocked her off her bike. She definitely wins our intermission stalker survey.

Models return to the stage with I Hear Motion during which Mark Ferrie's bass thrills. Cut Lunch reminds us of Models' awesome short promotional film featuring (almost) this very line-up. It's up on YouTube. Do yourself a favour. We can see why Models include a coupla their crowd-pleasing hits within tonight's set (including Out Of Mind Out Of Sight), but in the absence of James Freud (RIP) hearing these songs is bittersweet. Big On Love sashays in, all bombastic, and reminds us of a time when lyrics such as, "We could go all the way," were risqué.

Just when we start to worry they've been won over by their rider and won't return for an encore, Models reappear. Plus one wants to hear Atlantic Romantic so this scribe yells out her request. They play it! Models close with Barbados and we get emotional about Freud's untimely passing once more. This evening serves as a brilliant reminder of a band who was way ahead of their time. We maintain that if 1984's God Bless America (which Models recreate magnificently tonight) were to be re-released now it wouldn't sound out of place on your chosen streaming service.