It’s 3:20pm on a Sunday arvo at the Tivoli. Vicious punk rock emanates through the walls. Making my way to the stage expecting to see dudes on stage in rock attire, it was more than impressive to discover three bad-ass bitches from the backyards of Brisbane instead. Welcome, Koko Uzi. Bassist and vocalist Lisa is transcendent in her delivery. Coupled with heavy distortion and primitive drumming, these rock goddesses are akin to the female preying mantis, completely killing their set. Regardless, drummer and vocalist Alana declared: "I just have to wet the whistle, I’m a bit f…king nervous!" - they were only opening for Regurgitator, after all. Despite the nerves, with hits like Put Me On The Door and Hard Candy, this defiant, all-girl gang proved they are not to be messed with.
Next cab off the rank, The Stress of Leisure, took the audience on an intergalactic mission throughout the 70s, 80s and 90s with their eclectic mix of witty humour, wavy synth, and solid drum and bass. Not one to shy away from band self-promotion, frontman and guitarist Ian made it known the bar was selling a Stress of Leisure Pulled Pork Special for the bargain rate of $12. Ian warned it wasn’t their fault if anybody came away light-headed or wanting more, before launching head first into the special's namesake song. Pulled Pork had the entire dance floor moving, with fanatics flying about and yelling along. TSOL cemented their bond with the Gurge when they toured together last year, and on Sunday, they dedicated their performance of I Would Die For You to the Brisbane icons. It was pleasing to see all band members still alive following their pledge of allegiance.
A touch after 5pm, the punters were well and truly moving in. Not all gigs go to plan, but that didn’t faze The Fauves’ Andrew Cox when his pick sliced through the G-string of his guitar. In the low lighting, Andrew and the lads carried on like seasoned pro, until a repaired guitar was returned to the stage by a mystery man named Greg, who earned a demonstration of gratitude from the band and the crowd. "Greg! Greg! Greg!" shouted the Tivoli. Committed fans anticipated Dogs Are The Best People, but Nairobi Nights left the biggest impact of the set, as it blasted from the speakers. Coxy and The Doctor were oftentimes seen onstage playfully taking the piss out of each other which offered the crowd some light comic relief.
Loyal devotees to Brisbane’s self-proclaimed ‘export-grade’ indie rock group Screamfeeder turned out in droves to witness the outfit's old school classics. The band delivered. The energy and chemistry between the rockers was undeniable, as they fed off each other, and fans who eagerly sang along to DART and Hi Cs. Vocalist and guitarist, Tim Steward, gave an energetic performance, oftentimes jumping and running on stage while frontwoman Kellie Lloyd's gutsy vocals were amplified over roaring guitars and thumping drums. This is a band that has always stayed true to their roots.
Hailing from Japan, the sugar pop punk girls of Shonen Knife lived up to their reputation as the Osaka Ramones. These crowd favourites took the room on a journey through time and space, accompanied by an ever-changing psychedelic backdrop which complemented their transitions between genres. At times the band’s sound resembled 10CC then would completely switch to the likes of Black Sabbath. After kicking around for thirty-plus years and touring with big names like Nirvana and Sonic Youth, the trio had the crowd wrapped around their little kawaii fingers. And after all this time, they've got more than a couple tricks up their sleeves. Bassist Atsuko, who is also a fashion designer, was met with uproar from the audience when she explained that she made the band’s outfits and hoped everyone liked them. At the merch stand, the band was cleaned out of kazoos by punters unlikely to match their prowess with the charming instrument. Never under estimate the power of the kazoo. Amai Amai Amai Amai! CANDY!
Dynamic, innovative, nostalgic, awe-striking... attempts to convey the sheer creative brilliance that is Regurgitator in words. Spewing out a 25-year-long repertoire in under two hours is no small feat, but the Gurge are not a band easily swayed by fear. Their quarter-pounder celebration was as much a rundown of the music which has informed so much contemporary Aussie music as it was a gift to the people who have consumed their creativity and ultimately helped them to reach dizzying heights.
The whole day was a celebration of women on stage, who featured prominently across the line-up, and it was especially excellent to see female creativity and collaboration spotlit by the costuming of Regurgitator. Designer Cindy Vogels, who has previously worked with Lady Gaga, was responsible for pom-pom covered headpieces and jackets, fluorescent tracksuits and fairy-lit tutus donned by the band.
The choice of songs were thoughtfully selected. From their first album Tu Plang, the Gurge gave the fans their favourites such as: I Sucked A Lot Of Cock To Get Where I Am, F.S.O., Kong Foo Sing and Blubber Boy. Ex-band member Seja Vogels joined the soiree to perform a few songs by the likes of I Like Your Old Stuff Better Than Your New Stuff and Polyester Girl from the album UNIT. The crowd went crazy for -! The Song Formerly Known As, singing the lyrics back to the band. Other favourites of the night were Fat Cop, Black Bugs, Blood and Spunk and Bong In My Eye. Elegantly donning their pink tutus, Regurgitator concluded their Brisbane leg of the tour with their winner-winner-chicken-dinner 1999 4ZZZ Hot 100 banger I Wanna Be A Nudist.
Looking around the room, a stand-out feature of the evening’s gathering was the generations of families who turned up for the show, with the taste for the Gurge passed down, or in some cases, up the family bloodlines. It became clear the band's indoctrination of tiny tots into the mix with their recent project The Pogogo Show was not their only demonstration as the glue which bonds diverse groups together, through shared love of live art, music and performance. Here's to another 25 years, hey?