Live Review: The Whitlams, Lepers & Crooks

The sounds from Corner Hotel's bandroom emanate like a pre-recorded album such is the power of Lepers & Crooks. A clamorous juxtaposition to their headline counterparts, the Sydney four-piece mix a plethora of balanced styles. From Led Zeppelin to Pond with a bit of Rage Against The Machine thrown in, these guys have bitten down hard on a wholly unique sound. Vocalist Sam Baker is a powerhouse of infectious energy, raucously jumping around while still hitting each note with absolute perfection. The stage, and the bar, is well and truly set.

An unfamiliar boom of instruments signals the start of the usually subdued Blow Up The Pokies. It's been a while, but The Whitlams are ready from the outset. While frontman Tim Freedman remains the sole original member, the current line-up have been together for 15 years now. Despite this, there is an overwhelming breath of new life and youthful exuberance to the performance. The sound is fuller and more rounded than what might have expected from the alt-rockers, but the crowd-favourite quirks and standards are as present as ever. Drummer Terepai Richmond is a beast on Royal In The Afternoon, and the iconic bassline in You Sound Like Louis Burdett brings all eyes on bassist Warwick Hornby. The two have an impish relationship, eyeing each other as Freedman and guitarist Jak Housden flaunt their double-act motif.

The NSW quartet have taken incredible care in their setlist selection, with the two-hour long show spanning the 20-plus years of Freedman's songwriting career. Mainstays like No Aphrodisiac and the 'Charlie' trilogy are flooded by singalongs, and resurrected lost gems like Start My Cellar Again have the select diehards clutching onto a memory in the making. Even a cheeky Bowie cover sneaks its way into the mix as Housden takes the lead with his distinct falsetto timbre.

Freedman is given plenty of opportunity to shine in his own right, providing raw vulnerability in a solo rendition of The Curse Stops Here before asking the crowd, "Have any of youse guys ever had a fancy luvah?" It is a joy to watch the long-time friends taking pride in their work and even falling prey to a couple of self-inflicted glitches.

I Will Not Go Quietly (Duffy's Song) perfectly encapsulates the boisterous sound that The Whitlams have adopted for the evening. A double encore finish with all the trimmings; there's definitely a lot of gas left in the tank.