Live Review: Viagra Boys, C.O.F.F.I.N. @ Forum Melbourne

Sydney’s ominously named rockers, C.O.F.F.I.N, or Children of Finland Fighting in Norway opened the night with a short but heavy set of tough-as-nails hard rock.

Musically, these guys are as hard as it gets but screams of ‘always was, always will be’ and ‘fuck colonisation’ in between songs suggest hearts of gold driving the proceedings. They have that distinctive eighties Aussie pub rock vibe about them, which feels nostalgic. Essentially a boozy party band, tossing back a V.B. to the sounds of C.O.F.F.I.N feels alright.

In between sets, they played driving techno. It’s a kind of hilarious choice in between a couple of hard rocking acts lined up for tonight, but it’s a move that makes that mythical connection between techno and punk that some have claimed over the years.

Everyone assembled at The Forum tonight understood that the Viagra Boys would deliver an electrifying show. The Viagra Boys slam dunked Ain’t Nice with playful ease, and the place erupted with a palpable surge of energy coming off the crowd. The Forum was bouncing by the time they followed through with Slow Learner. There was plenty of raucous mosh in the pit as fans got busy throwing themselves about to the music.

It’s not too long before frontman Sebastian Murphy is shirtless. Dude is inked and covered in tatts that bring to mind some of the doodles on their merch. Murphy isn’t flexing a six pack, instead he is gloriously out of shape and describes himself as ‘fat and middle-aged’.

Punk Rock Loser is propelled by an insistent bass and a savage sense of humour, which sees Murphy ironically take aim at poseurs, but he also sets himself up as one as the song rolls along. There is an easy party vibe about the tune that inspires crowd surfing and some young ladies to observe the spectacle on the shoulders of their male friends.

Murphy effortlessly commands the crowd’s attention. His lyrics showcase a sharp wit that flows into his engaging banter in between songs. He tells us about being stopped by fans when he was walking to the Forum just ahead of the show. In the spirit of the evening, they had already been thrown out of the Forum and were looking to party the night away elsewhere.

Murphy tells us that this week, he had been hanging out at the Old Bar, where he got into an argument with some bloke because he told them he doesn’t support genocide. The story calms the crowd down somewhat, but it also serves as an intro to the hilarious Troglodyte, which keeps the crowd rolling on the good time that’s being served. Just Like You speaks to the defiant punk heart of this band and is a proudly defiant assertion of individuality.

The set started to grind to the sound of frenetic balls-out rock with Ain’t No Thief. It was a move that unleashed complete chaos as fans well and truly lost themselves in the moment. Secret Canine Agent continued to carry the vibe while the macabre low-slung Worms was a haunting downer.

In the past week, Naarm was infested with Coldplay fans seeking clean-cut and optimistic stadium pop. Viagra Boys are the antithesis of all that. It’s ironic that an extended version of their instrumental tune, Cold Play from Welfare Jazz, made the setlist. It puts the spotlight on the band's saxophonist, Oskar Carls, who knows how to deal with a wild solo. It’s a moment that brings to mind the wild sax on Christeene’s song Lo Paid Runway Model. Carls’ somewhat camp-sass posturing throughout the night contrasts with Murphy’s more straight-up punk aggressiveness. 

Viagra Boys play in front of a huge banner that reads Endless Anxiety. Although Naarm stood accused of being Australia’s anxiety capital in a review of Thom Yorke’s recent shows here, Viagra Boys seem to suggest that it’s not just a Naarm thing, and there is a lot happening in the world to drive all this anxiety.

The somewhat medicated thrills of ADD is a party starter. Sports, a firm fan favourite, elicits a huge roar of approval. As Murphy moves from the absurdities of modern life to observations on masculinity, he cuts through the loud and abrasive sound his band conjure. 

By now, the Forum is pulsating under the punk chaos the Viagra Boys are generating. An extended version of Research Chemical morphs into the irresistible boogie of Shrimpshack. This was when almost everyone seemed to just lose themselves in the undeniable magic of the moment. They encore with the riotous Return To Monke to end the show on a resolute high.

Punk means a lot of different things to different people. Viagra Boys are substantially more than one of those headache-inducing noisy punk bands. Their beats groove, and there are plenty of hooks and melodies to latch onto while you consider their lyrics. In a relatively short period of time, Viagra Boys have established themselves as a unique voice in punk music. Tonight, they gave fans the exhilarating thrills they were after.