Live Review: Pat Chow, Nerve Quakes, Hussy, Spring Peaks

It seems that the good folks over at Pat Chow are quite the fans of the Silly Season. For two years in a row they have dropped a Christmas single and this year they decided to throw a rocking pre-Christmas Eve shindig for their fans. There were Santa hats, mistletoe, tinsel and rocking tunes for all who attended this show in Perth's newest live venue.

Up first were Spring Peaks, which seemed an odd choice when compared to the rest of the line-up. Having heard these guys plenty on RTRFM, this scribe was excited to finally catch them live, but unfortunately their live set was a little underwhelming. Whether it was the acoustics of the room or the overeagerness of the band calling for a near-empty room to "get up and dance" one too many times, this was a set that was almost offensively inoffensive.

Up next were Hussy, who quickly took a look at the lack of energy in the room and built a party through sheer will. Definitely not a one-trick pony, Hussy combined punk rawness with pop licks that made everyone in the room start to dance. They rocked out so hard that the rhythm guitarist Cassie Rees even ended up playing a few songs with a missing guitar string. Best of all, as the room started to fill, songs were interspersed with the popping of Christmas crackers as well as the dad jokes within.

Perth post-punk stalwarts Nerve Quakes were up next. It's been a top year for the band, complete with LP launch and multiple rocking shows, so it was great to see another solid show from the four-piece. But this scribe can't wait for some new material since although their set is full of fan-favourites it could do with a refresh.

It was finally time for Santa and his elves to take to the stage. Playing jolly ol' Saint Nicholas was Pat Chow frontman Ben Protasiewicz who, it appeared, had been slamming back glasses of whisky-spiked milk. He performed a heroic set while seeming moments away from passing out. A rocking hard set of proto-grunge mixed in with some Britpop-influenced licks. For an Aussie band these guys sure sound like an act that bounces across the Atlantic Ocean.