Over three decades, the influential pub-rockers Cosmic Psychos have gained a reputation for electric live shows.
Anticipation for their return to Brisbane’s Crowbar (4 November) was high, and the sold-out venue was packed with punters ready to get rowdy.
Opening was local trio, Kitchen’s Floor. The noisy indie-rockers played a short set of shambling tunes on instruments that sounded like they’d break at any moment.
The crowd was filled with confused faces, many being put-off by the band’s amateurism and attitude, but Kitchen’s Floor exuded raw-punk attitude the way it should be.
Touring with Cosmic Psychos is Melbourne pub-punks Amyl And The Sniffers. The band are all snotty attitude, sculling beers and throwing empty cans into the crowd, and frontwoman Amy Taylor snarled her lyrics as she stalked the stage.
Amy is a fantastic performer; one who completely owned the stage, shoving those who tried to enter her territory.
The beers continued to flow when the Cosmic Psychos took the stage. It was impossible to get close to the stage, but fans pushed themselves through to get as close as possible.
Without hesitation, the Psychos took to the stage and launched into the throttling riffage of ‘Pub’, making the crammed crowd combust with energy.
The trio have a mighty live sound. Dean Muller pummels his drums and Ross Knight’s bass sounds as bilious as his vocals, especially on ‘Better, Not Bitter’ which had the crowd chanting the refrain: “It’s f#$^ing bullshit, mate!”
Praise goes to Mad Macka, whose riffs are as hulking as his frame, including the slow grind of ‘Custom Credit’ and the speed-fuelled ‘Thank Your Mother For The Rabbits’.
Mad Macka fully earned his moniker with his solos, making his guitar squeal and whine as he shredded through ‘Nice Day To Go To The Pub’ that lead to one fan howling with excitement before ripping off his shirt and jumping in the mosh.
This tour is in support of their powerhouse new single ‘Better In The Shed’. “This riff doesn’t make any sense,” Ross barks, but it doesn’t need to. The track called to the crowd’s primal urges, sending the entire room rabid.
Closing track ‘She’s A Lost Cause’ wasn’t enough to satisfy the crowd, with the venue filling with a chant for one more song. Instead, the Psychos treated us to three: ‘Come On’, ‘Hooray Fuck’ and ‘David Lee Roth’, with moshers pushing and climbing over each other the entire encore.
Fans cleared when the trio took their bows, leaving the Crowbar’s floor covered in sweat, spilt beer and empty cans. The place resembled the remains of a bomb site, which is fitting due to the Cosmic Psychos packing the energy of a nuclear bomb.
With the force they put into their shows, it’s no wonder why the Cosmic Psychos are still a must-see act 30 years after they began.
