Live Review: The Brian Jonestown Massacre, The KVB

The KVB, handpicked by Anton Newcombe to support The Brian Jonestown Massacre 2013 Australian tour, open the proceedings to a disinterested crowd. With exception to the lone blonde guy in the middle of the mosh raising his hands and bopping along to the shoe gaze drum machine backed drone, the audience makes the most of the opportunity to chat. Their music is characterized with heavily distorted guitar, synth and a consistent 4/4 beat. Nick Wood makes no real attempt to engage the crowd but Kat Day's bopping knee never misses a snare hit and is mesmerizing to watch. The KVB nonetheless, sound flat and their set is relatively monotonous. Gems such as Run Away momentarily catch the audience's attention.

The Brian Jonestown Massacre take the stage for the last show of their Australian 2013 tour. Newcombe is joined on stage by long time members Matt Hollywood on guitar and vocals and Joel Gion on percussion. With no new album releases since their 2012 Australian tour, the show has greatest hits feel to it, as Newcombe and co. treat the crowd to hit after hit. As Who? starts to play the packed out mosh swells and the chatter finally dies down.  

Some early sound issues plague the set, namely during Got My Eye On You when Gion's vocal mike completely fails to work during the entire song. However, despite these early hiccups throughout the entire set their sound is full, clear, intricate and loud but never overbearing. Needless to say the band is tight and plays that way. Anenome and Open Heart Surgery gets the crowd in a wavy mood and audience members in the centre of the mosh take full advantage of their location to create thick plumes of smoke that rise up towards the rafters.

Not If You Were The Last Dandy on Earth gets the crowd pumped and security start taking to unceremoniously (and somewhat violently) ripping crowd surfers from above the mosh crowd's heads. Newcombe treats the crowd to some stock banter remarking “Australia is such a nice place to visit, but that flight is a motherfucker”.

The final song of the set Oh Lord goes off with everyone in the venue getting involved and as soon as it ends, Newcombe exits stage left.  The remaining band members take their time onstage mulling around and thanking the crowd and hilariously, Gion plugs his gig at the workers club the next Sunday. Despite the begging crowd an encore fails to materialize, which if anything else is to be expected. The venue does kindly wait ten mins before turning on the gtfo music however.