Rocket ScienceTonight sees the long overdue return of Rocket Science playing on Adelaide soil. The Melbourne four-piece went on hiatus a few years ago - partially forced due to health reasons - but decided to get the band back together much to the delight of the packed Crown & Anchor Hotel.
Singer/organist Roman Tucker pranced around the stage and sweated up a storm, which was especially evident during the songs Modern Life and Pop Lover. Tonight he was a man on a mission, perhaps wanting to prove a point having been away for so long. He seemed to spend half the time in the crowd, revving us up, which made for a great show and a welcome return.
But if the crowd were expecting a greatest hits set then they would have left disappointed. Instead, it was an interesting 60-minute set with a mix of new tracks - they launched a brand new 7-inch tonight - album tracks, a cover, but only a few well-known Rocket Science singles - a risky move, but glad to see the band showing off their strong back catalogue; they don't need to rely on their well-known singles alone.
Kit Warhurst is a drummer you need to watch live. His fluidity is like no other and he's an underrated drummer. Bassist Dave Gray and guitarist Paul Maybury - who are the backbone of the band - both brought some extra energy, especially Gray who thrashed away on his bass and filled the room with fuzzy goodness.
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The new songs fitted in well among material from their previous albums (released between 2001 and 2008), fusing garage and indie-rock as Rocket Science have perfected over many years now. The band's set concluded with their best-known track Burn In Hell, which was delivered with ferocity.
