Live Review: The Murlocs, Amyl & The Sniffers, Parsnip

Parsnip set this evening's tone for the arriving crowd, who are soon grabbed by the (metaphorical) balls as Amyl & The Sniffers take the stage in a whirlwind with Westgate.

Lingering behind the microphone, frontperson Amy Taylor tugs on her jacket, revealing a denim playsuit paired with knee-high platform boots, and with 70's Street Munchies the four-piece are well and truly into their set.

"How's Gus' mullet?" Taylor asks about their bassist Fergus Romer. "Yeah. I'm just jealous." Although drummer Bryce Wilson has given his the clip it looks as though having a mullet is a prerequisite of being in this pub rock, sharpie punk band.

A "1, 2, 3, 4" and they're into the next song. With her fierce fuck you attitude, Taylor holds a strong stage presence and you can't help but gawk at the peroxide blonde rocker. After Stole My Pushbike, Taylor reciprocates the crowd's enthusiasm by spitting water over us.

With a swig from his tinnie, guitarist Dec Martens accelerates the rest of the band's momentum with his charging chords; in between verses Taylor dances behind the mic, while the boys rock their mullets proudly behind their guitars.

"Does anyone want a beer on me? I know it was $30 to get in," Taylor offers, and the tinnie is taken by one parched dude as quickly as it's offered.

Closing with Pleasure Forever, Taylor slaps her ass while raising a middle finger before abruptly leaving the stage with a swig of beer. Romer exits behind the others, making sure to thank us with a "cheers cunts!"

The sold out venue now eagerly awaits The Murlocs, who soon open with Compensation. From the opening chords, we overly enthusiastic drunks dance and sway and pretty soon punters are crowdsurfing through their lengthy set. 

Beneath the lights, our beloved Murlocs look divine, also swaying along and swigging their tinnies below the stage's illumination. "We're gonna get real psych. Psychedelic. Yeah, baby!" warns frontman Ambrose Kenny-Smith, and off we go again dancing along to the next song's harmonica opening.

The real highlight of their set this evening isn’t necessarily the hits that we’ve already grown to know and cherish, but their latest single Noble Soldier, with which we eagerly engage as crowdsurfing erupts again. "So it goes..."

Our dancing never ceases, feet mimicking the rhythm section through their show as we eagerly jump and pound our boots into Howler's floor. It'll look like the sticky aftermath of a tin soldier massacre in here by the time we shuffle out.

Rolling On calms us for a minute, but soon the roaring cheer is back to ear-piercing level and even the punters looking a little too 'refreshed' come to so they can help farewell the boys with our Space Cadet singalong.

Content for now with the little taste we’ve just had we trudge through the squashed cans scattered around the floor, hungry for their forthcoming record that’s due for release mid-year.