Live Review: The Love Junkies, FOAM, Rag N' Bone, Shit Narnia

Fans were down early at Jack Rabbit Slim's to catch a host of stellar local acts playing alongside The Love Junkies in support of the band's latest single Nobody. Post-hardcore four-piece Shit Narnia started with the thrashing sounds of Dogwedding that had lead vocalist Hugh Manning wandering around the stage switching between crooning and screaming his lungs out to the delight of the audience.

The band followed up with the heavy sounds of Teeth before treating the audience to the first live performance of a new track before continuing with live favourites This Is How They Kill Us and New LA. The band closed out their set with the savage rocker Claremont Boys that ended in a hail of feedback-laden noise that pulsed through the speakers as the band departed to one last cheer from venue.

Post-punk quartet Rag N' Bone came on stage next and began their set with the spacious and sinister sounds of a song which allowed frontwoman Kiera Owen to show off her powerhouse vocals alongside Axel Carrington's frenetic guitar work. During their last song, Owen crowdsurfed while singing before dancing at the front of the stage as the band drummed up a storm to cap off an immensely entertaining set.

Three-piece grunge outfit FOAM busted out some high energy rock riffery that got a great response from the ever-growing crowd, with singer and guitarist Joel Martin delivering some standout solos throughout the set while bassist Harley Barnaby and drummer Jackson Hawdon kept the solid rock rhythms. The band tore through great live versions of Warm and All My Friends before finishing strong with Four Men Enter A Room.

Around 11pm, The Love Junkies arrived on stage and immediately launched into live favourite Mausoleum with a blast of chunky feedback-laden chords. Chemical Motivation followed on with some strong harmonies from the group before they played I Had A Party Once that saw Mitch McDonald and Robbie Rumble lock in together with their dual guitar parts leading to the song getting a great response from the audience.

Rumble handled lead vocal duties for Storm Troopers before McDonald led the audience in a singalong on live favourite Maybelene. Audience members started crowdsurfing during Lonely Ride before a swagger-filled performance of Nobody. As the hour loomed the band continued on with You Are The Pins In My Ears and Oxymoron before finishing just after midnight to one final tremendous cheer from the hometown crowd.