Live Review: Placebo, Little Scout

Melissa Tickle from Brisbane indie quartet Little Scout informs us this is the second time her band have been fortunate enough to grace Palais Theatre's stage. Drummer Miro Mackie plays with a lotta shoulder and the band certainly warm up as they go along. The band close with Go Quietly, which perfectly shows off the purity of Tickle's vocal over sporadic instrumentation. Little Scout could invest in some outfits for the stage however, since currently they resemble lost audience members.

After intermission, sound suddenly rumbles through the speakers and Placebo burst out with B3 (“Passionflower/Catherine wheel”). Brian Molko's voice remains unchanged and he coaxes us all onto our feet for song three before requesting that his expressive blonde drummer, Steve Forrest, “usher in the funk”. Forrest is certainly charismatic and his translucent drum kit's the shit. Molko's poetic lyrics are perfectly demonstrated via For What It's Worth and danceable singalong Every You Every Me. Striking bassist Stefan Olsdal achieves a sound you'd swear a piano was producing.

The classy Fiona Brice (on piano and electric violin) is as willowy and stylish as the late Edie Sedgwick. Special K is given an industrial work-out. Lyrical content throughout Song To Say Goodbye touches our hearts and The Bitter End closes out Placebo's main set. Forrest wanders downstage to hand deliver his drum sticks to an über fan in the front row who has proven himself a worthy recipient.

We get the feeling that an encore at a Placebo show isn't necessarily a given and so we work extra hard for one. Their cover of Kate Bush's Running Up That Hill is just as stirring as the original when given the Molko treatment. Post Blue becomes Infra Red (it really does feel strange singing, “Someone call an ambulance/There's gonna be an accident,” while dancing with a euphoric smile on your face). All band members now move forward to graciously shake hands with front row fans, but Molko stays back and keeps his skin to himself.