The selection of bands at Crown And Sceptre Hotel on Saturday night (12 March) was incongruous, no doubt. However, the evening was an energetic snapshot of the strength and diversity of Adelaide’s live music talent.
First up (and added to the bill at the last minute) are Baja Bleeders, a stoner-surf-punk duo whose output astonishes: it’s difficult to believe that two people armed with just a drum kit and an electric guitar can make this much noise. Their set is warm and raw, featuring two broken strings and eventually a borrowed guitar. Baja Bleeders play hard and with reckless abandon, evoking something that contradictorily straddles the laziness of summer and the chaotic energy of Saturday night.
The energy continues, albeit in a different direction, as Brat 86 power their way through a short, fast and loud set, joined by a new bassist. The stream of focused four-chord punk – reminiscent of early Green Day – is broken only in the moments when vocalist Josh Mounsey drops the odd expletive, a coy but cheeky grin lighting his face. Between songs, the band pauses only briefly to announce new material and covers of staples such as The Ramones and Green Day, before launching back into the next burst of angry punk pop. Brat 86 does what it says on the label, and its effective.
There’s a change of mood when Sunset Cartel open their set basked in a blue glow, with a floating, ambient instrumental piece that makes you want to close your eyes and sway. That’s until vocalist Emily May breaks the tranquil, taking to the stage with her soulful, growling voice, layered over the band’s '90s alternative-influenced brand of hard rock. She’s a powerhouse – all sass and shaggy hair – and her energy is infectious. An obedient crowd approaches the stage enthusiastically, heads nodding and hips swinging to the alternately crunching and grooving guitars. It’s impossible to stand still as Sunset Cartel blaze through their tight and angst-fuelled set. The spirit of grunge emerges nimbly into 2016 and is given a modern and atmospheric makeover, characterised by deft guitar work and a danceable beat.
