Live Review: The Datsuns & The Treatment

With a sizeable crowd already gathered, four-piece The Treatment strolled out onto the stage with garage rock revival swagger, like they're gonna party like it's 2002. The lads proceeded to punch their way through a dirty, straight-up rock 50-minute setlist. Their sound, a uniform blues-driven, garage rock outing, was perfectly suited to an Annandale Hotel, Sunday night opening act. The crowd's unfamiliarity with the material hurt the band's performance, especially as the set went on and the songs blurred into one, admittedly impressive, blur of fuzzy rock'n'roll. On the occasions they showed a little restraint or had some fun with their pedals, it got the crowd more interested and willing to dance. It's easy to see this band developing a very dedicated fanbase in the future.

A shoulder-to-shoulder crowd filled out the pub before The Datsuns took the stage. Touring in support of what is arguably the finest record of their career, Death Rattle Boogie, the New Zealand rockers have a certain level of hype. The band opened with the booming noise rock pounding of Gods Are Bored and everyone in the pub knew they were in for a hell of a show. The band's effortless-looking “tight but unrehearsed” presentation belies the effort put into the act (and to be sure, The Datsuns are an act). Their interactions come only from playing together for as long as they have. The grooves between the band members – when to come in, when to sit out, when to punch it – sounded so natural and precise it's impossible to not be wowed and all the punters are richer for it.

Venues like The Annandale must seem like second homes to these guys, who never once, in a breathless setlist lasting over an hour, looked like they weren't just having a blast on stage. A responsive, dance- and mosh-heavy crowd didn't hurt either. If we can claim antipodean comrades Russell Crowe, Crowded House and Phar Lap as Australian, then we sure as hell better take The Datsuns' live show in the name of Sydney City.

Over a decade after their much-loved debut, these skinny mop-topped New Zealanders still know how to rock. Little has changed over the years, but with shows like this, do we really want it to?