Live Review: Living Colour, Massive

A pint of Rogers and a serve of karaage chicken fuels us for take-off from The Triffid's hangar-like venue for tonight's journey, Living Colour. They've returned to throw decibels of technicolour funkin' heavy metal rock our way after Melbourne openers Massive.

In single file, the stage fills with four of the finest in rock music; Vernon Reid (rhythm guitar), Doug Wimbish (bass), Will Calhoun (drums) and lead singer Corey Glover. Celebrating their first album since 2009's The Chair In The Doorway, Living Colour take flight with a cover of Preachin' Blues - an ode to blues singer/musician Robert Johnson - rumoured to be included on their upcoming LP, Shade. One of heavy rock's most versatile music acts, and 30 years on since their first release, their music is still canvassed across an enormous spectrum of genres.

They churn out their catalogue of hits — mainly off 1988's Vivid and 1993's Stain LPs — before swinging back with their most recent rap rock call to protest on Biggie Small's Who Shot Ya?. Pulling no punches, Glover reels off the figures of African-American deaths in the US before flying the flag of funk with their much-adored Love Rears Its Ugly Head — giving Reid a chance to flaunt his undoubted virtuosity.

Their first intermission leaves Wimbish on stage to perform Swirl - from his second solo album CinemaSonics (2008) - and the bassman's showmanship isn't missed by the crowd. Back on stage a hilarious exchange between Reid and Glover, who argue over whether Elvis was indeed dead, segues into Elvis Is Dead - which includes a Hound Dog moment by Glover. Calhoun's glow stick drum solo gives the band their final breather and they push through with the all-time hit Cult Of Personality before an encore of Glamour Boys and Time's Up.