Live Review: Frenzal Rhomb, Hostile Objects, Skinpin

Between frenzied drum parts, shouted unison vocals and volatile guitar, openers Skinpin brought ample energy and atmosphere to kick the night off, showing that a duo don't need a lot of fancy effects to fill a room with noise. The local two-piece barely stopped for air between songs, visibly out of breath before they introduced themselves. After a handful of songs there was a slight break as drummer Anna Goldstein fixed the kit she'd halfway knocked over, but by the end of the set the crowd was anxious to let out the applause they'd been holding in for five songs straight.

Hostile Objects met the stage raring for some thrashy fun, but it seemed the crowd wasn't quite ready yet, and while the band's aggressive chugging is cathartic, there's not much melody coming through to back it up. Still, the band were tight: the drums in particular sounded great, as did the beefy fuzz bass, while frontman Rod Hunt commanded attention as he strutted across the stage. The band picked up momentum as they went, and their set allowed for some fun punk rock theatrics - abrupt tempo changes, screaming guitar solos and gratuitous rock-out endings.

Frenzal Rhomb are touring to mark 25 years playing together, and it felt a bit special to hear that the beloved band's first show was on this very stage. To celebrate, they brought a setlist of 25 greatest hits, chosen by the fans - and the band were quick to blame them for anything that went wrong. Very little did, however: one verse into When My Baby Smiles At Me I Go To Rehab, vocalist Jay Whalley was already crowd-surfing (and getting told off by security). The setlist was full of memorable moments, with some older tunes taking on new relevance: We're Going Out Tonight was levelled against Mike Baird, who "doesn't know if he's being jerked off by the church or the casinos". Between unexpected deep cuts (The Ballad Of Tim Webster, My Pants Keep Falling Down) and crowd-pleasing singalongs (Russell Crowe's Band, Never Had So Much Fun), the band gave their fans exactly what they wanted.