Live Review: Peter Bibby & His Bottles Of Confidence, Hideous Sun Demon, Gorsha

The beers are flowing, the fans are blowing and the patrons are glowing, eagerly anticipating an evening of music, mischief and merriment when Gorsha take the stage.

The Darwin band’s simplistic slacker rock evokes some of more off-beat tracks by The Drones, Nick Cave or Mudhoney and they set a high standard for the night that will be tough to beat. There may only be three band members, but their bruising, blues-influenced, grungy riffage fills the room with enough raucous noise to suggest a much larger band.

Hideous Sun Demon begin soon after, brimming with enough energy to play long into the night. Within seconds, the Western Australians emphatically sweep everyone off their backsides and onto the dancefloor for a sweaty mass head-bang that will surely be felt by all come the morning. The group’s twin guitars, fuzzed-out to the max, complement the manic vocals, basslines and drumming, leaving the crowd bitterly disappointed when their invigorating set ends all too soon. This may only be their first time playing in Melbourne, but it’s clear that Hideous Sun Demon win plenty of fans in the crowd, which is now swelling to capacity.

There’s a large roar from the crowd as Peter Bibby & His Bottles Of Confidence take the stage for the last set of the evening. High-pitched, brash and incredibly endearing, Bibby sings in his distinctive Aussie drawl atop a mountain of screeching violin, lackadaisical guitar, and swinging country basslines. Maybe it’s the nature of the songs, or maybe he’s been boozin’, but Bibby’s enjoyment and enthusiasm translates directly into the audience. Giving an inhuman amount of energy and passion, he confidently strides through crowd favourites Goodbye Johnny, Hates My Boozin’ and Medicine, leading the Evelyn in a demented, merry square dance. Everyone within earshot is captivated by Bibby’s congenial enthusiasm and entertaining narratives.

Finishing to a loud cheer after an incredible performance full of vigour, conceit and profanity, Bibby saunters off stage with a bottle of Jameson. Even if his vocal cords now receive a well-deserved rest, it appears Bibby’s liver is about to be given a workout.