Live Review: The Union Pacific, Corpus, Summer Blood, Whailer

Whailer are a band that answers an important question: what would UV Race sound like if they were bigger fans of Ramones than The Stooges?

Their songs are short bursts of old-school punk with names like I Don't Want A Bar Of It and more often than not their choruses simply repeat the title. It's basic stuff but it's done well. They finish with a song featuring lyrics that everyone can relate to: “I don't wanna go to Highpoint baby/It's the low point of my week.”

Summer Blood are next, opening their set with a slow instrumental song before letting loose on their quicker stuff.

They're reminiscent of The Hawaiian Islands, another Melbourne band whose songs had a tropical vibe to them that's difficult to put into words (they just sound like summer on some small island beach). They play a handful of new songs, all of which suggest an excellent new release to come, while LA Dreaming is a late set highlight, with the faithful at the front shouting along.

Sydney’s Corpus are up next. Like a more tuneful The Nation Blue, Keiron Steel's guitar is abrasive enough to strip paint off the walls, while Jack Bruun-Hammond's drums pound and crash relentlessly.

The duo are incredibly tight, their songs stop and start on a dime and easily go from softer, noodle-y post-punk to full-on chaos without a pause for breath. It's a bit of a headache for those among us who are a few drinks down wanting to dance, but for everyone else it's an energising and rewarding performance.

The Union Pacific had a fairly quiet 2014 while they worked hard on recording their debut album History, but all the work pays off with this hometown launch. Tonight they've opted to play the album in full, with accompaniment from Joel Taylor on keys.

Opener Hide Underground introduces each instrument individually as it builds up, while late set highlight (and crowd favourite) Eye To Eye provides one last burst of energy before the final three songs finish at a more laidback tempo.

The lyrics may tread familiar ground, but they're engaging and sung passionately by band and crowd alike. Real Life is a standout example – practically an update of Blueline Medic's classic Making The Nouveau Riche, its mix of self-doubt and self-assurance (“Do I have to get a real life?/A real job?”) strikes a chord with just about everybody in the room. But who cares about jobs and the real world right now? It's a Saturday night in the middle of summer and everyone's here to celebrate the hard work of one of Melbourne's best bands. Real life can wait.