In town for the AFL's Gather Round, it was a neat surprise to discover American metal-funk supergroup Infectious Grooves were also in Adelaide.
With singer Mike Muir's Suicidal Tendencies bandmates joining him in Australia to tour in late 2023, Muir (now a permanent resident of Australia where his three sons were born) was dead-keen to bring his other band IG back down under. . . when OG member (and Metallica stalwart) bassist Robert Trujillo had a 'two-week gap' the pair got busy. When regular drummer Brooks Wackerman had Avenged Sevenfold commitments, Muir didn't despair prepping a list of fill-ins when his son Tyson made the obvious connection, Slipknot's Jay Weinberg (son of Max Weinberg of The E Street Band).
Taking over the Hindley Street Music Hall (4 April), the show began in trademark IG goofy humour, with a short film featuring the band's masked mascots Infectiphibian, Sarsippius and a third character whose name escapes me (while the Internet fails me).
It was the right mix of cheeky fun and comedic tomfoolery to kick off the show, especially when all three bounded onstage (the perks of being a roadie) with unbridled glee lapping up the crowd's adulation while posing for photos.
The band themselves quickly make their presence know, with a boundless enthusiasm onstage led by Muir who's akin to an ADHD bumblebee buzzing about with uninhibited joy and a relentless stamina.
Elsewhere it was a constant blur of moving bodies, rockstar poses, incredible shredding and a rock communion feel, punters in the crowd salivating at this funk-metal altar.
With Weinberg up back keeping the rhythm with a ferocious appetite, and Velvet Revolver's Dave Kushner (filling in for regular player, Faith No More's Jim Martin) playing it tight on rhythm guitar, guitarist Dean Pleasants was staunch on the right-side of the stage, his lack of movement (compared to the other players) belying his importance in giving the IG sound its attitude.
At the opposite end of the spectrum was Trujillo who declared: "I need 15 feet," when playing his red bass guitar (he wasn't kidding either!). His shredding was infectious (pun intended) and no doubt leaving the amateur bassists in the audience drooling at the blur of his fingers punishing the fretboard.
After kicking off the set with 1993 'Sarsippius' Ark' deep cuts 'These Freaks Are Here To Party' and 'Turtle Wax (Funkaholics Anonymous)' as well as 'The Plague That Makes You Booty Move' rarity 'You Lie... And Yo Breath Stank', the band (and crowd) were suitable lubed up with plenty of neck-snapping moshing and two-step side-to-side shoulder rolls.
Fans were then treated to plenty of classic IG bangers as well, with 'Violent & Funky' arriving just after mid-set, while earlier 'Punk It Up' and 'Therapy' raised energy levels to extreme.
Infectious Grooves' David Bowie cover 'Fame' followed, the rendition hitting all the feels leaving one to wonder why Bowie never experimented with a metal-funk crossover project (that would've been gnarly delicious). Other highlights included 'Lock It In The Pocket', 'Boom Boom Boom' and 'Monster Skank'.
It was at that this juncture this roving reporter had to make the hard (unpopular) decision to call it a night. . . with a stacked three days ahead of me (three AFL matches and a date with The Smith Street Band Saturday), the mature resolution was a share-ride back to the Airbnb and the comfort of a doona-encased bed cocoon!
Which is a shame given IG finished off with three Suicidal Tendencies covers: 'Subliminal', 'Send Me Your Money', and 'Pledge Your Allegiance'. Though something tells me Mike Muir's love affair with Australia will have either band (and most likely both groups) returning in the not so distant future.
