PICS by ZACH JANUS PHOTOGRAPHY & THE UNDERGROUND STAGE

REVIEW by LUKA FLANAGAN || FILTHY CREW

Each year Sydney is put on display as Vivid takes over the city. Huge lighting displays, magnificent art pieces and amazing shows put on all over town. This year the Lansdowne chimed in with the multi-stage mini-festival, appropriately titled “Lansdowne Palooza”. They pieced together an all-star lineup from all across Australia with bands and artists who have played the Lansdowne before but some also making their Lansdowne debut. I was very excited for this show and keen to check heaps of bands I hadn’t seen yet along with some old favourites. I’m happy to report no one disappointed and overall it made one of the best gigs I’ve been to in a while.

I arrived just as Totty were setting up for their set upstairs. Quickly they got into their loud dog inspired “shed rock” anthems. They played all the songs off of their debut ep (Cut The Poppies) as well as the singles they released last year, an unreleased song and a brand new song. This was just a typical Totty set, loud instruments, powerful and punchy lyrics, a healthy dose of feedback and a great time overall. Every Time I’ve seen Totty play they prove why they’re one of the best bands that not only Wollongong has to offer but Australia has to offer. As always I can’t wait to see them play again.  As soon as Totty finished I rushed downstairs for the start of Los Tones. I made it about halfway through their opening track “Battery Acid”, which I was a little upset about missing the first half of but that was okay as I had a full half an hour of garage psych rock goodness awaiting me. Los Tones ripped through a lot of the best songs from their most recent record “What Happened”, some classics from their first record “Psychotropic” and a few new ones. Aside from a few guitar mishaps it was another time I’d seen Los Tones and was reminded why they’re one of the best bands Australia has at the moment.

After that, I watched some great bands like Nick Nuisance and The Delinquents and Dumb Punts (up the punts) but the next act that really blew me away was Spod. I’d listened to “Boys Night” a fair few times in preparation for his set, but I wasn’t versed in the rest of his discography. He opened with a very ominous and dirty track titled “Deadshits” in which Spod simply said “Fucking Deadshits” for the duration of the song. After hearing this I knew I was in for a treat. Armed with just backing tracks played off of his laptop and his own vocals over the top, Spod treated the crowd to a 40 minute set of humorous synthy anthems about such topics as eating dinner by yourself, cats, going out on the town with your boys and the suburb of Ashfield just to name a few. Spod was one of most fun acts I’ve seen in recent memory and I can’t wait for him to come back to NSW.

Next up on the agenda for acts to watch was Spike Fuck. I had heard great things about Spike Fuck but I hadn’t properly listened to her up until seeing her at the Lansdowne, I’m glad I went about it this way because I was utterly blown away. Melodic instrumentals with country and pop influences to her deep powerful voice delivering some of the most moving and heartfelt lyrics I’ve ever heard made for an experience like no other. The entire time I watched Spike Fuck I had a huge smile on my face but I wouldn’t have been surprised if I started bawling my eyes out at the same time. Spike Fuck is an absolute must see and I would wholeheartedly recommend seeing her next time she is in town.

Although it was a great experience there was no time to feel sad as Clowns were up next. The room was packed in anticipation for Clowns’ debut at the Lansdowne. They came out to roaring cheers and applause from the very eager crowd at the Lansdowne. Clowns front-man Stevie Williams thanked the crowd and expressed how appreciative they were to finally be playing at the Lansdowne. After a few short words, they quickly ripped into their set. They played all the hits from their 3 previous records, even busting out a new one from their upcoming record. The crowd was incredibly into the loud roaring guitar riffs, shrieking vocals and incredible stage presence, as evidence from the non-stop mosh pits, crowd surfing and floor rumbling. I’m not over exaggerating when I say that Clowns at Lansdowne Palooza is possibly one of the loudest things I’ve ever heard and I wouldn’t have it any other way. It was a very successful Lansdowne debut for Clowns and I can’t wait to see them return to the venue in future.

After for being there for the better part of the day, people were tired and drunk but thank god there was one last amazing band to send the night out with a bang. Last up was Perth psychedelic rock kings Psychedelic Porn Crumpets. They may have the most fun name in music and their live show certainly lives up to it. This was my first experience with Psychedelic Porn Crumpets. I’d heard them here and there but never delved too deep into their discography. I’m happy to report that Psychedelic Porn Crumpets is one of the best things I’ve seen and heard in a long time. Huge psych and grunge infused anthems for their whole set sent the crowd of Lansdowne Palooza into a sweaty, floor rumbling mosh pit to close out Lansdowne Palooza.

Upon reflection, Lansdowne Palooza was one of the best gigs I’d been to not just this year but perhaps ever. Every artist and band on the lineup performed amazingly, showcasing some of the best talent Australia has to offer at the moment. The Lansdowne has set the bar high and shown why they’re one of the best venues Sydney has to offer. I for one can’t wait to see how they outdo themselves next year and I’ll definitely be going for round 2.