Live Review: The Bon Scotts, The Good China, Pepperjack

It's a chilly November evening outside the venue tonight, but upstairs the cosiness is being accentuated by the mellow melodies of Pepperjack, greeted by a respectful, growing crowd. The four-piece are a solid choice to open for The Bon Scotts, with violin, acoustic guitar, drums and upright electric bass blending seamlessly in the intimate space. Lauren Moore is relaxed and charming as she sings songs lifted from the band's self-titled EP. The Coast, among others, showcases her ability to pen a memorable tune. Britney Spears' Toxic even gets covered tonight although the song's stripped of its slickness and run through a folk filter.

Next up and piling onto the stage with barely enough space to breathe, The Good China may be eight-strong, but all members have their part to play. From the start, the band's infectious irreverence is well received and, as the bodies keep pouring in and the temperature continues to rise, the band steadfastly keep a cracking pace. Kicking off with the unashamedly poppy You Looked Better A Brunette, the band pulses to the up-tempo beat, angular guitar lines playfully mingling with synth and violin. By the time the band pumps out We Knew That We Had To Leave the crowd is sweatier than an armpit in hell and more than up for the headliners.

Amidst a drunken punter's cry of “TAXI!” aimed at someone's butter fingers, The Bon Scotts take to the stage to perform for an audience that's ready to wriggle. Delicate guitar strumming heralds a very hearty Here Comes Summer and by the time the chorus crashes in the band are officially on their merry way. Polluted Sea keeps the energy levels pinging in the red, which is where they stay for the remainder of the set.

There's no such thing as personal space onstage at a Bon Scotts gig, and when horn player Jim Thomas is not pursing his lips to blow into his mouthpiece, he dances like nobody's watching, whipping the rest of the band into a frenzy. The Weekend Bends is the single being launched tonight and it's everything we've come to expect from this group: raucous and upbeat with plenty of escalating gusto, the track sits snugly within the set.

Winding things up with Loving Man, lead vocalist Damien Sutton apologises for being so drunk (not that anybody cares) and thanks everyone for coming, bringing to an end another typically sweaty, boisterous Bon Scotts gig.