Live Review: The Rubens, Saskwatch

Nine-piece Melbourne-based band Saskwatch hopped on stage and delivered a refreshingly bold, captivating set with a unique, magically energetic performance by lead singer Nkechi Anele. The band had an '80s indie-pop/punk rock vibe about them; whipping out their single I'll Be Fine, Anele jumped around the stage in a floor-length shimmery golden skirt, flicking her hair back and forth and warming up the crowd. Then drummer Ed Crocker shared an intense solo, absolutely rockin' out to the catastrophic strobe lighting going on in the background.

Finally, 20 minutes after their scheduled start time, NSW alternative/indie-rock band The Rubens walked on stage and the sold out crowd went berserk. "We'll give you double everything you give us, I promise you," yelled lead singer and megababe, Sam Margin. During the course of the show his repeated Leonardo DiCaprio-esque hair flicks and hand-running-through-hair moves were driving every so-inclined spectator to a weakened fangirl/boy state. The band's drummer Scott Baldwin glowed like a beacon of muscled light behind him, causing one fan to scream, "I wanna be his drumsticks!"

About halfway through the set, they played My Gun, absolutely beautifully, and it had the crowd swaying, waving their arms and singing along to the lyrics. They followed through with another crow favourite, Never Be The Same, with Margin on the piano. It was the perfect performance. "We're gonna bring it down now with a live song tonight, for all the ladies in the house." And they did. It was the lead singer Sam Margin who ended up hurling himself on top of the room full of fans, crowdsurfing more than halfway into the crowd before hopping down and running back to the stage where they shook bottles of champagne onto the audience, announcing, "Are you guys into triple j? 'Cause this is Live At The Wireless!"

They finished their set with a roaring crowd screaming for an encore, before eventually coming back on stage to sing Lay It Down and Hallelujah. If there's one thing that can be taken away from their live performances, it's that The Rubens have transformed themselves from a humble little indie-rock band into true modern Aussie rockstars creating a cosmic, religious experience.