Mindless Self Indulgence, The Blackout, Cerebral Ballzy @ Billboard The Venue, Melbourne (26/02/2013)
Tonight at Billboards The Venue we have “the punk show” as New York's Cerebral Ballzy frontman Honor Titus repeatedly states. It's a shame then that he hasn't brought any sort of show with him though as he stumbles around the stage, slurring words and drinking non stop. It really was not a very entertaining way to start a show and it seemed most of the crowd agreed. Their style basically seemed liking screaming non-sensical lyrics about skateboarding and drinking set to actually quite good music. Someone, after they finished, even stated that “the sound guy even sounds better than that last band” but anyway, let's move on.
Welsh rockers The Blackout hit the stage next and kick things off with the title track off their latest album Start The Party. There is already a notable difference in the crowd as they actually start to get involved as singer Sean Smith runs around the crowd while other vocalist Gavin Butler stays on the stage. Behind the band on the screen is a picture of comedian Heath Franklin as Chopper Read with the words “The Blackout says Harden The Fuck Up.”
They launch into ShutTheFuckUppercut next from The Best In Town. The constant banter between the two vocalists is very amusing and I personally think they were having a competition as who could swing their mic around the most, they both do it almost non stop throughout their set which also features the tracks Said & Done, Save Our Selves (The Warning) before they finish their brilliant set with Higher & Higher from 2011's Hope.
Headliners tonight are synth rockers Mindless Self Indulgence and having never really listened to them I didn't really know what to expect but I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised. Vocalist Jimmy Urine is a very entertaining frontman with his constant joking with the crowd and non stop movement on the stage.
The mosh pit does not stop moving from the entire set which is always a huge positive. They even included a cover of Method Man's Bring The Pain which was very well done. After about an hour the band go off before we hear Jimmy backstage commenting on how bullshit encores are but, of course, they come out and play one last song and bring a very entertaining set to a close. Even if you have never listened to MSI I highly recommend getting down to one of their live shows, you will not leave disappointed.
Matt Barton
Welsh rockers The Blackout hit the stage next and kick things off with the title track off their latest album Start The Party. There is already a notable difference in the crowd as they actually start to get involved as singer Sean Smith runs around the crowd while other vocalist Gavin Butler stays on the stage. Behind the band on the screen is a picture of comedian Heath Franklin as Chopper Read with the words “The Blackout says Harden The Fuck Up.”
They launch into ShutTheFuckUppercut next from The Best In Town. The constant banter between the two vocalists is very amusing and I personally think they were having a competition as who could swing their mic around the most, they both do it almost non stop throughout their set which also features the tracks Said & Done, Save Our Selves (The Warning) before they finish their brilliant set with Higher & Higher from 2011's Hope.
Headliners tonight are synth rockers Mindless Self Indulgence and having never really listened to them I didn't really know what to expect but I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised. Vocalist Jimmy Urine is a very entertaining frontman with his constant joking with the crowd and non stop movement on the stage.
The mosh pit does not stop moving from the entire set which is always a huge positive. They even included a cover of Method Man's Bring The Pain which was very well done. After about an hour the band go off before we hear Jimmy backstage commenting on how bullshit encores are but, of course, they come out and play one last song and bring a very entertaining set to a close. Even if you have never listened to MSI I highly recommend getting down to one of their live shows, you will not leave disappointed.
Matt Barton