Live Review: Nancy Vandal, 1.1.1, Spike City

“Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the smooth sounds of Spike City,” frontman and Brisbane punk institution Rollo says as the seven-piece takes to the stage.  The band features an assortment of other familiar faces from the Brisbane punk scene, including guitarist Ben Jones. They play a set that ranges from lounge-ska to frenetic punk. The band also display a healthy anti-establishment streak, with between-song banter including “Queensland: Beautiful one day, fascist the next”, and a setlist that includes an “ode” to Lisa Newman, Stonehenge, and an energetic rendition of Blowhard classic, I'm Broke.

Next up are fellow Brisbane band 1.1.1, who also feature a couple of ex-Blowhard members but play a more straightforward brand of punk-rock than their horned brethren. Nevertheless, they manage to keep the crowd dancing with a mix of old and new tracks, including Love Song and Rock Da Nation, finishing up with a boisterous rendition of Dead Kennedys' Too Drunk To Fuck.

Nancy Vandal open their set with a couple of classics in the form of Piss In My Weet-Bix and When I Squeeze My Nose I Sound Like Axl Rose, proving that while they might have grown a little older, they thankfully haven't matured in the traditional sense. The band air a couple of new songs next, including Nurofen For My Euro Friend, before delving into their back catalogue for Sucker For Your Spit and Egg Sandwich. Demolition Derby Date, She Left Me For A Game Show Host Blues and Ray Martin Has A Shed Full Of Giant Robotic Killer Wasps are all as infectious and gloriously ridiculous as ever, and Death Metal Song – which features lead vocals from ever-youthful saxophonist Gilli Pepper – gets a predictably raucous reaction. We're Not Getting Any Nuder gets the crowd moving before vocalist Fox Trotsky tells the crowd they have one more “proper song”, reiterating that the band needs to play songs to “keep Satan happy”, before launching into fan favourite Move Over Satan. The band then leave the stage briefly, returning to chants of “Nancy, Nancy” with J.J. Speedball in tow for a spirited rendition of Turbonegro's Erection, before finishing up with Frenzal Rhomb Were Better When Ben Was In The Band. The band's next scheduled Brisbane gig is next year's Soundwave festival, but if tonight's turnout is any indication, they'll be welcomed with open arms for their next headline show.