Live Review: Kirin J Callinan, Gregor, Kirkis

Passing the merch desk on the way into the Corner, it's hard not to chuckle as a large fold out of tonight's headliner wearing nothing but his weight in bronzer is proudly displayed amongst the records and tea towels. An audience member is overheard remarking "I've seen his cock more often than my boyfriend's lately". Welcome to the world of our very own enfant terrible Kirin J. Callinan.

Kirkis kick things off, committing to some enthusiastic dirge-pop. It's no surprise when he's seen handling bass duties for Callinan later in the night as his sound (and look) is noticeably Kirin-esque.

Stepping up and filling the gap for the advertised yet mysteriously absent Friendships, Gregor mine a deep well of gothic Australiana and impress a filling room. There's humour here too but it's bone dry and cloaked in a lovely deep vibrato.

An artist as infamous for his antics as his music, Kirin J. Callinan is nothing if not a slippery character. His latest album Bravado straddles a wafer-thin line between piss-take and conviction and, appearing tonight clad in leather and Stetson and launching into the bizarre rave-up My Moment, it's clear that his live show will follow suit. His particular brand of irony (or is it sincerity?) has attracted a large cult following and the crowd hang on every (surprisingly) softly spoken word between songs. Callinan does seem to struggle with the weight of it all at times, however; most notably on latest single Living Each Day, which feels disconnected, almost conventional in this format. 

We were expecting a mixed bag though, and as the shirt comes off the muscles really start to flex. His band are routinely spot on, but Callinan really opens up when he's alone on stage. It's impossible to look away as he gyrates to his own silent disco on spoken word piece The Toddler and knocks us dead with Landslide - a stunning cut from his debut album Embracism. Telegraphing his encore half an hour before it happens, he initially closes with the brilliantly schizophrenic Down 2 Hang before reappearing after half the venue has already left for one last solo tune, encouraging the remaining punters to get their money's worth. Strange behaviour; true to form.