Live Review: Gyroscope, Axe Girl, Sly Withers, Flossy

Given that entry into the beer garden for this end of 2018 bash would have given you change from a twenty dollar note, it’s no surprise that Badlands was crammed to the brim with festive folk from the start. 

The early arrivals were treated to the likes of Moth, Trolley Boy, The Shakeys and Yomi Ship to kick things off, so by the time that JFK hit the main stage inside, the Badlands party vibe was infectious. 

Even though vocalist James Knox struggled slightly in some of the falsetto peaks in tracks like Animals, it was hardly a lacklustre performance given the endless energy and shape cutting he served up with it. 

Out in the beer garden, Black Stone From The Sun heaved the crowd in '90s doom fuzz. The duo is fierce to the point of drummer Jack Nelson needing to constantly pull his kit back together from the heavy hits. Blasting out an impressively full sound for a small stage setup, Black Stone again proved they’re one of the most ferocious live shows going around at the moment. 

FLOSSY were buzzing from a recent string of shows, and fresh cuts such as Hater and Holiday were lapped up by punters. Seemingly wanting to party just as hard as the rest of us by pulling out all the stops on guitar battle poses, the band ends the year with a super addictive I Want You. 

The party attitude is kicked up tenfold with Sly Withers in the beer garden. Sometimes, bands just want to have fun and play some jams, thankfully Sly do this and bring everyone around them along for the joyride.

With two band members having to leg it to Badlands after finishing other band duties over at Rosemount, it’s baffling how Axe Girl take to the stage with such spark. Vocalist Addison Axe is a force onstage and rallies the main room to such a point that it’s questionable who the headliner for the night actually is.

It’s a massive act to follow, and with a countdown timer giving just minutes to midnight, Gyroscope emerge and explode through Doctor Doctor and 1981 to bring in 2019 in style. It’s the band at their best, the rhythm paring of Brad Campbell and Rob Nassif rattling rib cages, guitarist Zoran Trivic leaning into his foldback for every lick, with Daniel Sanders at the front with an unhinged and wild drive. 

Unfortunately, the pace of the set (or more likely the flow of celebratory drinks) must be too much for some as the room fades and flattens out mid-way through the set, moving a good portion of people to the outside party. It did little to phase these veterans, however, as they built off a fan favourite setlist, bursting with the likes of Fast Girl, Safe Forever, Baby, I’m Getting Better and Snakeskin to close out in full frenzy. Once again, that rare skill of Gyroscope's to ignite ferocious chaos on stage with a razor-sharp sonic blast from all four members still rings true and hopefully will never stop.